Crystalline Entity
by Cpt. Lynx
Summary: The story of PixelFade's Crystalline, but through the eyes of Darth Imperius, the emperor of the Eternal Alliance. Warning: Really OP OC. Knowledge of the SWTOR storyline probably required.
1. Day 1: New world, new problems

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Crystalline is property of PixelFade and SWTOR is property of BioWare and EA.

* * *

The wind bristles through my hair as I sit cross-legged on the grass. The flames of the candles I placed around me in a circle are dancing with the breeze. This is calming. So calming, in fact, that I have trouble keeping my eyes open and focusing on my meditation. I almost got it, I can feel it! I steel my resolve, but my body betrays me, like so many times before, as I am left with no choice but to surrender and close my eyes for a bit.

Something jerks me awake and my eyes blink open. A bright light illuminates the wilderness, blinding me until all I can see is a stark whiteness. I throw my arm over my eyes to shield them from the light. After a few seconds pass, the light seems to dim, but it doesn't feel like the same fluorescent glow of the candles. Carefully, I unwind and bring my arm down, squinting at a pale blue sky. A mild breeze tousles my hair, blades of grass tickle my ear as they wave in the wind. Strange, that is not the same sky I had above me just a moment ago. Where am I?

I'm about to push me off the ground when something pops into view. A round, blue blob with two dark eyes blinks at me.

"Poi?"  
The strange creature seems confused, or curious. Maybe even both, like me.

It bobbles slightly, like gumbah Pudding.

When it notices my stare, it opens it's small mouth and takes a dainty bite of my nose.

"Hey!"

The creatures bite doesn't sting, but feels like a cool splash of water. Furthermore it feels like it bit out some Force energy. Intriguing. Before it can take another, I scramble to my feet.  
The creature tumbles off my head and falls to the ground. Once it lands, it shakes itself off with a gelatinous tremble, clearly unfazed.

"Poi!", it acclaims happily as it hops onto my foot and opens its mouth again, but I quickly shake it off. It rolls off my foot and into the dirt, then rights itself again.

"Poi poi!", it pouts and continues to watch me but doesn't attempt another bite. Good, otherwise I would have grilled it.

Still, what is that thing?

"Poi?", it exclaims as it cocks it's head as if wondering just the same about me.  
That's unsettling...  
I've seen plenty of wild beasts and all kinds of creatures, but I never saw something like that. And it appears to be intelligent, to an extend, even though it does not have the ability to speak. Well, speak in whole scentences, or words, for that matter. But then again, the ability to speak does not make one intelligent. Anyway...

I take in the scattering of trees around me. Their tall branches kiss the sky. There's a winding dirt trail whitch weaves through the trees. As I follow it with my gaze, I see smoke billowing out of thatched roofs of a village in the far distance.

Where am I? The last thing I remember is meditating in the wilderness of Odessen...

That's it! I must've fallen asleep and now I'm dreaming. Altough it is different from the visions I usually get through the Force. And not only because it's a lot calmer.

"Poi?", it asks curious, I think.

I glance down at the blue creature.

"What?", I ask somewhat curious, too. What? I'm an explorer at heart.

At my response, it leaps up.  
"Poi poi!"

I take a few fast steps away from it, and it lands back on the ground with a soft thud. That thing can jump pretty high, I need to be careful.

"What's your deal?"

"Poi!", it exclaims happily as it leaps again, and I again retreat.

"Stop that!", I command.  
It clearly doesn't care.

I dodge as it jumps. Then I begin to run. I don't want to find out if that thing can literally eat Force energy the hard way.  
To my suprise, the blob keeps pace with a series of nimble bounces.

"Poi poi!"  
It seems to enjoy itself.

"Seriously, stay back!"  
I need my powers, thank you very much.

It musters up one long leap, and I turn around the corner of a sturdy tree to avoid it. I don't notice the other person until too late!  
We painfully collide, and I loose my balance before toppling over.

"Ah!", a female voice exclaimes, with which's owner I collided.

Fortunately, my hands catch myself, protecting my fall. When I open my eyes, I see a woman.  
Her eyes are shut and her mouth is twisted in a grimace. Her long blonde hair is splayed out around her. She wears something resembling a brown leather corset and a light blue skirt. Silver-white armor is covering her chest and stomach with sheets of armor hanging off her hips, resembling a mandalorian kama. To say it in other words, she is easily one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen. And I've met plenty of people.  
As she lets out a small groan, she blinks open her eyes and fixes her gaze on me.

Anyway, manners are in order, even tough I have pressing questions at hand.  
As I meet her gaze, I notice her saphire blue eyes and I push myself to my feet.

"I am very sorry. Are you hurt?"  
I extend a hand. She hesitantly accepts it, and I help her up.

"Just a little sore, but otherwise I'm fine. Are you hurt?"  
Her voice is soft and smooth, and her question carries genuine concern. At this moment I notice the vibroblade hanging on her hip. Is she a Jedi?

"No, I'm fine.", I say as I dust off my trusty royal robes.  
"I am sorry again. I should have paid more attention to where I was going."  
I usually do, but these are extreme circumstances. Even more extreme than my 'dicovery' of Iokath.

"It was partially my fault. I was distracted."

"Poi?"

The creature is right by my foot again.

"Are you serious? You're still here?"  
I am a bit annoyed by now.

The woman looks suprised.  
"A Pango!", she exclaims happily and a smile graces her face.

"'Pango'?"  
I've never heard of a creature named like that. I don't know what to do with it.

"Poooooiiiii poi?"  
This seems to go vice versa.  
The pango bobs up and down by my foot and nudges me with its head.

"Aw, he's a cute one!"

At least one of us enjoys his company. Wait, 'he'?  
"'He'?"

"Yeah, you can tell by the shape of his eyes."  
She seems to like this one, if her happy tone is anything to go by.

"Oh."

"I think he wants you to hold him."  
Her attention is back on me now.

I shoot a cautious glare to the blue blob. It- no, he- is kind of cute though...

"How can you tell?"  
I'm curious now, and I don't exactly have much expirience with tame animals.

"He's not being subtle about it."

The pango hops onto my foot and looks up at me.

"Poi!"

He seems harmless enough. And I could still blast him to oblivion if he tries anything.  
"Okay..."  
I bend down and he bounces into my palm. He feels cool to the touch and suprisingly solid for being kind of gelatinous.

"Poi poi!"  
He chirps happily as he rolls over in my palm.

"Woah!"  
This feels suprisingly good. I could get used to fauna not bend on devouring me.

The woman leans in and uses a finger to gently tickle the pango. He chirrups again and shivers.  
"P-P-Poi!"

"Aww, his laugh is so adorable!"  
It seems the woman has a tender spot for this little blob. Altough I am inclined to agree.

She continues to tickle him and he rolls over from laughing.

"Hehe, oops!"  
She giggles happily, and it is one of the cutest sounds I have ever heard. Well, you don't hear happy laughter like that often in a war torn galaxy, but still, I like it.

She stops tickling him and pats him on the head instead. He snuggles against her hand and sighs contently.  
"Poooi."

Using her other hand, she raises her gauntlet and seems to offer it to the pango. The pango stares at it, then turns his head away and hops onto my shoulder before nestling against it.  
"Poi."

"A pango who refuses magic energy...?"  
Wait, magic? Is she speaking of the Force?

"Wait a minute! Are you a mage?"

"Mmm, I would rather call myself a sorcerer, but I guess you wouldn't be wrong, depending on ones perspective."

She seems confused.

"A sorcerer? You say some strange things."  
She holds up her gauntlet and a faint, pale light glows. It pulses rhythmically. As she holds it closer to me, it quickens until the pulses almost look like one long pulse.  
She blinks in suprise.  
"Wait... this heightened energy activity... it's you?"

Given my current power level, I'd say 'probably'. But I think I'm better off keeping that to myself for now.  
She analyzes the magic swirly thing on her gauntlet, probably a sensor interface of some sort. If only I could read it.

"I don't see a discharger on you..."  
Discharger? Like a disruptor, or a blaster?

"So then, how is it possible for you to have such a high magical energy reading?"  
Well, I'm the most powerful being in the galaxy, as far as I am aware. But does she really have a device that is able to scan for the actual power level of the Force in a person? Again, I keep that though to myself, for now. I need to play my cards close to the chest right now. Although she seems harmless enough...

"Are you carrying crystals?"  
Is she referring to the crystals in my lightsaber? I can't be sure, though.

"Not that I know of."

"Hmm."  
She looks me over again.

"Nevermind, it doesn't seem like you're carrying crystals... or anything, for that matter..."  
So she doesn't have noticed my lightsaber. It quite blends in with my belt, though.

Anyway, I can't detect even the slightest hint of ill intent on her. I guess it should be safe to tell her the truth of my situation, at least.  
"I don't know what's going on right now. I was in... the gardens of... my institution meditating to learn... a new spell and somehow I woke up here."  
That's not a lie. It's just differently phrased.

"So are you from the Mage Academy?"  
I somehow doubt she means the Sith Academy. Call it a hunch.

This situation is so strange. I've expirienced many strange things before, but this tops everything.  
"Okay, I think I've dozed off long enough. Time to wake up now."  
I probably ate something bad and have this dream right now. Come to think of it, I still don't know what exactly Koth cooked up this evening.

She blinks in confusion.  
"You are awake."

"No... this is a dream."

She frowns.  
"I can assure you this is not a dream."  
She is not amused. And I am inclined to agree. It was worth a shot, though.

But if this is in fact not a dream, it means I am at odds here. I need allies, so it's in my best interest to show her my charming side.  
"But only a dream could have a woman as beautiful as you."  
Hmm, it feels... weird to flirt like that. I've never done this before.

A devilish grin spreads across her face. So, did it work?

She pulls her hand back and strikes me soundly on the arm. That means no, I guess.  
Her punch is nothing compared to what I already had to endure, but the strengh behind it takes me by suprise nonetheless.

I mutter a soft "Ow".

"Still think this is a dream?"  
She sounds sure of herself.

I rub at the sore spot on my arm. The fact that I felt it under my nano-fabric robe is a testament to her strengh.  
"Okay, it's not a dream."  
It was a weak arguement, anyway.

"So, if this place isn't a dream, then where are we?"

"We're in Meadowhill."  
That's not going to help.

"...Meadowhill? Where's that?"

"It's a part of the kingdom of Havengarde, of course."  
She sounds like that's common knowledge. It probably is around here. I'm not from here, though.

"Havengarde?"

She looks at me like I'm crazy. Well, she's not the first one, but I do try hard to keep my sanity. It's not easy when you've been through so much like me, though.  
"...It's the largest of the three kingdoms..."  
She sounds... cautious now, I'd say. Great.

"Actually..."  
She seems to get the gist of it.

"Where are you from."  
Well, that's a tricky question. I don't remember exactly where I was born, so I'll settle with Odessen.

"I'm from Odessen."

"...Oh... Dessen?"  
She clearly doesn't know what I'm speaking of. Figured as much.

"Almost. Odessen. It's the capital of the Eternal Alliance."

"Eternal Alliance? Alliance of what?"  
She is clearly confused. I don't hold it against her, I'm just as confused. But then again, probably less.

"Nevermind that for now."  
Good idea.

"If you don't have any crystals and you don't have a discharger..."  
One can almost see the gears running. She's on to something.

"Have you casted recently?"

I was trying to figure out one of Valkorions rituals during my meditating, but that was a bust. Other than that, no, so I shake my head.

"Then the amount of energy reading doesn't add up."

She rests her chin in her hand as she thinks.

A shiver runs through me as reality begins to set in. This really isn't a dream. Other options could be that the ritual of traveling between planets was actually a success and I wound up on a pre-FTL populated planet somewhere in the galaxy, at best, or something went terribly wrong and I am in a different galaxy altogether. Heck, even a different dimension would be possible. And that's only based on the thought of me being the cause.

"Any ideas?"

She shakes her head.

"Maybe the Mage Academy can provide answers."

Mage Academy? That's a start.  
"Sounds good to me. How do I get there?"

"Oh, it's in the center of Illumia."  
She probably doesn't mean Ilum.

"Uh, where?"

"Illumia. You follow the path going north until you arrive at the crossroads. Then you head..."  
Her voice trails off as she notices my expression.  
"I'm actually heading back there now. You can come along if you want."

As I contemplate her offer, I look her over again. Can I trust her?  
Her posture is naturally straight and gives her an air of authority, just like mine. She did mention she was out here on some sort of official investigation. Plus, she seems friendly enough. She resembles a Jedi knight very much. Maybe this magic is just their way of describing the Force. That would make the Mage Academy something like the Jedi Academy.  
Besides, if I don't go with her, then I'll be wandering around on my own. And I'm not that fond of solitude. That would be poison to my mind, especially in my current predicament. And I definately don't want to end like Spindrall. I need to find a way back home! I mean, my council can hold the galaxy together without me for a while, probably, but still. If word got around that I'm no longer there... That would be Saresh all over again.

And so I nod.  
"Thanks."  
She does alot for me, already did. She does have my sincere gratittude.  
"My name is Xerath Kallig, by the way."  
Introductions were somehow lost on us, it seems. I don't deem it necessary to introduce me with my full title. 'Darth Xerath 'Imperius' Kallig, Emperor of the Eternal Alliance' is quite a mouthful, most of which she probably wouldn't even understand.

"I'm Leanna. Leanna Dawn."  
Dawn? How fitting.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance."  
I make a formal bow to that and smile at her. It truly is a pleasure.

She's a bit startled, but follows with a small curtsy of her own. When our gazes meet, she matches my smile.  
"It's nice to meet you too."

"Shall we get going then?"

"Ready when you are."

Leanna nods and brings us back onto the path. Then she walks in the direction of the village. The pango following us, staying a step behind.  
We travel for quite some time together.

It's been pretty silent. I wonder if I should say something...  
"So, not that I'm complaining, but what exactly were you doing out in the field?"

"The field?"

"Where you found me."

"Oh! There have been rumors about high energy readings around Meadowhill so I was sent to investigate. I had already checked out the surrounding area and there'd been no clear source for all that excess energy... until today."

"When you met me?"

She nods.

"I hadn't been in the field for very long before you found me though."

"Hmm, you might be a byproduct of whatever created the energy spike in the first place."

If this high energy is persistent for days already, it rules out that my attempt at the ritual was the source.  
"What do you think that was?"

"I'm not sure. I haven't seen energy readings of that level before. The Mage Academy should be able to help explain."

I wonder what I could learn there...  
"So, besides magic, what does the Mage Academy teach?"

"Oh, all the basics: how to use a manipulator, how to control your energy, the many usages and differences between crystals and spheres..."

"What exactly are these crystals you keep mentioning?"  
I want to know if she means lightsaber crystals or a different kind.

"You mean the difference between crystals and crystal spheres? Well, when we refer to crystals we mean the raw crystals whereas crystal spheres are the usable, refined state."

"That's helpful, but I meant crystals in general."

She stares at me and narrows her eyes as if trying to judge if I'm serious.  
"It's the power source for... well, everything!"

I look blankly at her. Not. Helpful.

"You don't use crystals where you come from?"

"Uh, not in the same way. Not as a general power source."

Her mouth falls open and she looks at me in bewilderment.  
"With no crystals, what else do you use to power things?"

"Lots of stuff, actually."  
I count off my fingers.  
"The sun, water, wind, nuclear fusion, fossile fuels like coal or oil..."

Her eyes widen with each item I list. She's about to speak, but I'm not finished.

"...geothermal, waves, tidal, hydrogen-"

"Okay, okay!"  
She shakes her head incredulously.  
"I get it. You have your own methods of energy... many, many methods.

Leanna's eyes sparkle as she falls into a pensive silence. A small smile plays at her lips while she considers what I've said.  
I might have overwhelmed her a little, but she actually seemed interested in all our methods of harnessing energy.

Without seeming too suspicious, I try to get a better look at her gauntlet. What was that thing she was doing with it earlier?  
Leanna notices me staring and shifts uncomfortable.

"Are... you okay?"

"Yes, I was just curious about your gauntlet."

"Oh, my manipulator?"

"Uhh... sure."

"All mages have a manipulator. It's how we use energy to interact with the elements around us."

"The elements? Wait, you mean you can interact directly with the elements?"  
The sheer imagination of that concept unhinges everything I ever learned about the Force. But then again, there is only the Force. Intriguing.

"I suppose that's one way to phrase it."

"Can you show me an example?"

"Um, like what?"

"I don't know. Do anything."

"Hmm..."  
Leanna pauses as she thinks. Then her face brightens. She lifts up her gauntlet and points toward the pango. He levitates in the air, much to the pango's suprise.  
"Poi?!"  
As he hovers in the air, he looks in awe around him and opens the mouth, trying to eat the air. Leanna giggles and gently places him back down.  
While the feat in itself was nothing special in itself, I could feel that she didn't use the Force to directly levitate the pango and instead controlled the flow of air around him. Most intriguing.  
"Whoa. That was amazing!"

Leanna smiles shyly as she brushes a stray lock of hair behind her ear.  
"It was nothing."

"What else can you do?"

"There's a lot more my manipulator can do, but I think it's best if I conserve the energy for now."

I nod. That makes sense.

I glance behind us again. Just as expected, the pango hops along.  
"So, the pango's still following us..."

Leanna glances back and grins.  
"That's not too suprising."

"Why not?"

"Pangos are attracted to magical energy. That's why it was so strange that it showed no interest in my manipulator."

"It is still following us though..."

"It's following _you_. My readings showed that you are full of magical energy. As far as the pango is concerned, you're a buffet."

"Huh."  
As I think over what Leanna said, I look at the pango one more time. This time he looks right back at me and his eyes crinkle as he splits into a huge grin.  
"Poi poi!"

"Uh..."

He leaps up into the air and reaches the height of my waist.

"Whoa!"

"Poi!"

He jumps high again. Leanna giggles.

"I think he's tired of hopping."

"I guess it can be kind of hard to keep up when you're so much smaller than us."  
I hold out my hands and the pango hops right into my palm. But he doesn't stop there! Before I can react, he hops onto my shoulder and jumps again to land on top of my head.

"Poi!"  
I feel a cool wiggle in my hair. Leanna giggles again.

"What's he doing?"

"Nothing, he's just so happy!"  
She reaches out a finger to stroke the pango, who chirrups contentedly. Leanna's smile broadens. Then she clears her throat as she tries to take on a more serious expression. Her steps quicken as she resumes walking.

I listen to the sounds of wildlife as we continue walking. I can hear the usual song of birds and the faint whoosh of wings flapping in the air.  
Occationally, there's a rustle amid the the trees, and I even swat at the bugs buzzing around my eyes. It all feels very familiar, reminding me of home. Minus the annoying shade stalkers.

Leanna clears her throat.  
"So, you're from 'Oh Dessen'?"

"Odessen, but yes."

"Which kingdom is that in?"

"Uhh..."

How should I phrase this...

"In the kingdom of the Eternal Alliance."

She frowns and scretches her neck.

"I'm a little ashamed to say I'm not familiar with that place... where is it?"

I'm not suprised. But how should I explain this...

"Let me see if I can explain... Alright, tell me, where are we right now?"

"In Meadowhill."

"And where is that?"

"In the kingdom of Havengarde."

"And where is Havengarde?"

"In the land of Esaria."

"And what is that a part of?"

"Terra, of course."  
Terra? I never heard of a planet with that name...

"Okay, so Terra is my Odessen."

She pauses as my words sink in. Then she gasps.  
"Wait. Are you not from Terra?"

I thought that was obvious by now.  
"From what I've heard so far, I'm not."

She looks concerned.  
"How did you get here?"

"That's what I'm hoping the Mage Academy can tell me."

"Right, but I mean, how did you come to Meadowhill specifically. Do you remember anything before you were in the field?"

I think back. I was meditating in the wilderness of Odessen to learn a new power or two that are locked to Valkorion's powers and memories. Since I've defeated him I absorbed his power and wisdom. I know all of his secrets and rituals, I just need to learn to understand them. I was extra tired because I was battling Tyth just yesterday, and I had to use quite a large amount of my power to defeat him. And I still remember everything about me and my past.

"Yes."

"Hm, well, at least we know you don't have amnesia."

I nod. She lapses back into silence, looking thoughtful. I have a lot to think of myself. Altough there are some similarities between this world and my own, I've only scratched the surface on all the differences. I really hope the Mage Academy can help explain what is going on... and more importantly, how I can get back home. Galactic peace is at stake.

"Poi!"  
The pango flips in front of my eyes and I carefully scoop him back onto the place on my head.  
"Whoa! What happened there? Did you slip?"

"...Poipoi."  
Is it my imagination or did that 'poipoi' sound a little sheepish?

Leanna looks over and grins.  
"You were trying to get a good look at our friend here, weren't you?"  
Hold on a moment! Did she just call me her friend? That's... touching.

I feel movement on my head as I assume the pango nods.

"Looks like someone got a litte adventurous and lost his footing!"

"...poi."

I let out a chuckle as Leanna giggles. Once the pango is secured, we continue walking.

The sun dips in the sky and bathes the tips of the trees in a soft glow.  
Finally, we come upon the perimeter of the village. Leanna grins as she leads me through the gates.

"Here we are! Meadowhill Village."

Leanna hardly seems affected by the long trek. Figured. This world doesn't seem to be that technically advanced for everyone to have a swoop bike. Or a personal scout walker. I feel the strain on my muscles, but I'm more or less used to long treks, too.

"I thought you said this place was close..."

"It is! It's only a half a days walk."

I guess the term is relative to one's speed of travel.

"Let's continue. We can rest at the inn tonight."  
She resumes walking and I follow her.

The village is still bustling with people even at this time of day. I suppose they're getting in their last errands before nightfall. For the most part, everyone seems to focus on their own tasks. They barely glance at Leanna, but when their gazes are drawn to me they don't look away. In fact, their steps slow and they crane their necks as we pass.

"I guess some things never change."

Leanna overhears my muttering and watches the people around us.

"It's your clothes. They're very peculiar."

"Well, I'm just wearing my normal robe."

Even though the stares are directed at me, Leanna seems uncomfortable.  
"Okay, new plan, let's stop by the shops before they close. We don't need to draw attention to ourselves."

I instinctively pat my pocket as I narrow my eyes. I somehow doubt they accept credits here, but that's not the point.  
"Hell no!"

Leanna seems startled by my outburst, so I clear my throat.  
"I wear my royal robes, or nothing. Besides, I doubt anything your world can offer lives up to my standards."  
Even though I meant no hostility with that statement, I still sound like a snob. Granted, I am a little vain, but still.

At first she appears to be taken aback, but then a devilish smile spreads across her face. I won't let me be hit again, though.  
"Royality...? This sounds like a challenge!"

I heave a sigh.  
"I suppose it doesn't hurt to take a look. I don't have any money, though..."

"That's okay. I'll take care of it."

"Thank you. I appreciate it."  
I doubt even any of my close friends would have done that for me on the first day we met. Heh, A'den probably would've halved me.

"It's understandable given your circumstances."

However, I don't like to be in debt with someone.  
"I'll pay you back once I can."

Leanna smiles and nods. She changes direction and leads me towards an adjacent street. There are rows of quaint shops lining both sides of the road.  
I read the signs as we walk by: 'Edward's Apothecary', 'Blackstone Forge', 'Dragonscale Armory'...

"Huh..."

"What is it?"

"I was just thinking how convenient it is that everything's in Basic here."

"Basic? You mean Common?"

"Common? I guess we have different names for the same concept, then."

"Seems like it."

Leanna pauses in front of a shop and peers inside. Satisfied, she motions for me to follow.  
"Come on in, we're here."

I step into the shop and the first thing I notice is the overwhelmingly musty smell of leather. It's not suprising considering the walls are lined with different types of leatherwear.  
A small, elderly man emerges from the back. A pair of round glasses sits on his nose as an apron hangs around his neck.  
"Welcome! Please, take a look around."  
His smile falters when he notices me.  
Leanna clears her throat.  
"We're looking for a new wardrobe for my friend here."

"Yes, yes, of course..."  
The shopkeeper blinks back to reality and resumes his pitch.  
"Well, you've come to the right place! We tan our hides and stitch the pieces ourselves. You won't find any finer quality than here!"

"Oh? A bold statement. You are lucky that I don't settle for anything less than the best, then."

Leanna just smiles politely and strolls towards the selections.  
I check out two seemingly identical leather vests, both of which are marked at different prices. I really can't see a difference between the two.

"Hey Leanna."

She turns around.

"Where's the difference between these two?"

"One of them is processed specially to increase it's durability."

"Ah, I see. Thanks."

She smiles as we continue perusing.

One by one, we pick out my new outfit. Once all the pieces have been chosen, she goes to haggle with the shopkeeper. I tune out of their conversation and watch the people passing by. Their clothing are simple in design, meant to be more functional then aesthetic, being in a stark contrast to my people of Zakuul. To my suprise everybody walks around armed. This village doesn't seem dangerous, but looks can be decieving...

"Why don't you get changed now? There's a space in the back to give you some privacy."

I nod and take the clothes from her. Once I've ensured privacy, I quickly get changed. Luckily, these clothes have pockets, so I can just transfer everything over. I palm my wallet and deck of sabacc cards. Next is my holocom. I try to turn it on just to see if it will work, but all I get is static. I must be too far away from anything to get no signal through...  
Shrugging it off, I put my holocom into my pocket too.

When I emerge, Leanna gives me a onceover.

"How do I look?"

She grins and nods in satisfaction.

"Wow, look at you! Just like a native. This look suits you!"

I match her grin. We found something that keeps the dark blue and black colour scheme of my noble robes whilst looking more like an andventurer's clothes. It still offers protection through the leather armor.  
"Thank you."

"Let's go find the inn now."  
She heads out of the shop and I follow her.

"Actually... Maybe we can stop by the armoury?"

She pauses and looks curiously at me.

"Armoury? You want to get a weapon?"  
Her question is careful, cautious. Let's ignore the fact I already have the probably single most deadly weapon on this planet for now. I'm still annoyed I had to change out of my trusty royal robes. I still have them with me, of course, alongside my Emperor's Mantle.

"The goal is to blend in, right? It's weird that a person wearing leather armor is traveling unarmed... I look like a hostage or something."

"Hm, you do have a point. Plus, it could come in handy."

Well, everywhere's still the same, eh?

"Do you know how to use a weapon?"  
Again, altough her voice holds no hostality, I can sense her caution.

"Yes, I am highly trained in Niman as well as practiced in Makashi."

She blinks.

"They're types of sword fighting where I come from."  
I'm nowhere close to be as skilled as A'den Taurus, the Eternal Wrath, or Legonir Liberia and Destra Shan, the battlemasters of the Jedi Order when it comes to lightsaber fighting. But they taught me some tricks...

"I see."  
Leanna falls silent as she gazes out into the street. After an extended pause, she nods.  
We head to the forge where rows of vibroblades ranging from longswords to short daggers hang from the wall.  
All of the blades look fairly plain, but the steel edges glint dangerously amidst the warm glow of the forge.  
Unlike the previous shopkeeper, the metalsmith ignores us as he pounds out a red-hot blade.  
Sparks jump from the clanging metal, reminding me of fireflies.  
Leanna lets me browse the swords. I reach for one that catches my attention.  
As I gently remove it from the shelf, I miscalculate it's weight and drop it!  
The steel scratches the ground with a sharp screech.  
The metalsmith pauses in his work to glower a warning. Leanna looks on in shock.

"Careful!"

I quickly right the sword back up and grip it tightly. Leanna now watches me with intrigue.

"Is this the first time you've held a sword?"

Shaking my head, I take a practice swing with the sword and it glides gracefully in the air. Leanna looks impressed.

"Was that a move from your... Makashi?"

I shake my head.  
"Niman, actually."

"Not bad."

I swing again and the movement flows naturally.  
As the sword cuts through the air with a sharp _thwing!_ , I can't help but admire how smoothly it slices. This is high quality craftsmanship.

"Let's go with this one."

As before, Leanna discusses with the shopkeeper. When she returns, I strap the sword to my belt.

We make one more stop to gather supplies for our travel. By the time we're finished, the sun has set and darkness blankets the sky.  
The town is aglow with soft lights glint from within houses and the lampposts on the streets.  
As we pass by a lamppost, I peek inside and see a small crystal shining brilliantly. It looks just like an Ilum crystal.  
Using the light to guide us, we find the inn.  
I take a seat at one of the crude tables while Leanna talks to the innkeper behind the bar.  
There are scattering of other patrons, mostly men who sit alone, nursing a tankard of what I assume to be ale.  
I stifle a yawn. Now that I had the chance to sit down, I feel the full weight of my fatigue. Come to think of it, I'm up a whole day straight.  
Luckily, Leanna returns and hands me a key.

"This is your room for the night. It's right next to mine."

"Thank you."

She nods.  
"They should be coming out with our dinner soon. Then we should get to sleep. We have an early start tomorrow."

My stomach grumbles in anticipation.  
"Sorry."

Leanna smiles as she sits in the empty stool next to mine.  
Our meals arrive and I stare at the bowl before me. It's a goopy, thick stew and looks about as appetizing as the chemical wastes of Quesh. But due to the Colicoid within me, it really is appetizing. Plus it smells pretty good.

"Uh, what is this?"

"It's stew."

Captain Obvious strikes again.  
"...What kind of stew?"

"Rabbit."

I shrug. Figured I wouldn't know their fauna.  
I take a tentive bite of my stew.

"How is it?"

It's definitely better than ration bars.  
"This is even better than I expected!"

Leanna grins as she digs in.  
I finish eating and Leanna cleans her bowl. Then the two of us head upstairs.

She pauses in front of her room and I stop in front of mine.

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

I'm about to enter my room, when I hear a small voice.  
"Poi?"

Looking down, I see the pango back at my feet. Now that I think about it, ever since we entered the village he's been awfully silent.

"Have you been following us this whole time or did you lose us and find us again?"

The pango blinks twice and bounces.  
"Poi poi!"

"Pangos aren't exactly welcomed everywhere."

"Why's that?"

"Well, they absorb the energy around them, including crystals which are used to light lampposts and other similar items."

"Ah, I can see how that would be bad."

"I think this guy knew to stay out of sight once we came in here."

"What if someone sees him here?"

"As long as he doesn't stray too close to a crystal, he'll be fine. People only make a fuss when it looks like their crystal might be drained."

"Got it."

She reaches towards the pango.  
"Do you want to sleep with me tonight?"  
I know I do.  
...Wait, what? Where did that thought come from?

"Poi."  
The pango snuggles agains my leg. Leanna sighs.

"I thought as much."

She opens her door and flashes me one last smile.

"Sleep well."  
She disappears into her room.  
...It has been awhile since someone said that to me. No, scratch that. No one ever wished for me to sleep well. Great, now I'm smiling like an idiot.

I open my door and step through. The pango perks up.  
"Poi poi!"

I grow awfully fast awfully fond of that little guy, but I can't help it. I step away from the door, and the pango hops in.  
As I close the door behind him, he continues to hop around the room, as if inspecting it.  
Yawning widely, I collapse onto the bed. The pango continues to circle the room.

"Are you looking for a good place to sleep?"

"Poooooi!"  
He sounds tired, too.

He suddenly leaps up and lands on my bed. Then he bounces to the foot of the bed and wiggles himself a cozy nest by creating a small crater on top of the blanket. I cant help but grin at that little guy.

"Goodnight, pango."

"poipoi."

I roll over in bed, and it's not long before I'm fast asleep.


	2. Day 2: The journey begins

A knock on my door jolts me awake. I sit straight up in the bed and barely notice a tiny yelp as the pango tumbles to the floor.

"Hello?"

The knocking stops.

"It's Leanna. Are you about ready?"

No. I want to sleep, go away. Yeah, right. As if I could say that.  
I rub my eyes and blink at the feeble rays of light outside.

"What time is it?"

"It's past dawn. We need to get a move on if we want to make good time."

Dawn?! There's no good reason anyone should be awake at this hour...  
I attempt to lay down in my bed when the knocking starts again.

"Alright, alright! I'll be there in a minute."

The noise stops. I yawn and stretch, then notice the pango on the floor.

"What are you doing on the floor? Weren't you sleeping on the bed?"

The pango wiggles and shoots me an accusatory look.  
"Poi p-poi poi!"

I glance at the slight indentation on my pillow and back at the blue mass on the floor.  
"Sorry, I didn't mean to knock you off."

He looks cautiously at me, then hops onto the bed and then up onto my head.  
"Poi poi!"

He nips at my hair and then jiggles.  
I guess that means he's forgiven me.  
I push myself on my feet and begin getting dressed. Once I've grabbed all of my things, I push open the door and nearly collide with Leanna... again.

"Woah!"

"Are you ready to go?"  
She seems eager.

"Yes."

Leanna nods, then leads the way out of the inn.  
I follow her through town as we head north. It's a lot quiter than when we first arrived as the town gradually begins to wake up. We don't run into too many people on the street. Although the shops aren't open yet, I can see the shopkeepers busy prepping for the day.  
Right before we reach the edge of town, a guard stops us.

"There has been heightened bandit activity reported on these roads."  
Bandits? I don't see a problem there. At least not for me.

But Leanna's brow creases.  
"Are the roads closed?"

"No, but until we get a handle on the bandit activity, we're advising anyone to stay in town."

"We can't stay."  
She seems a little impatient.

"Where are you headed?"  
That guard sure is nosy. But it's good to see a guard taking their job seriously, I guess.

"We're headed to Illumia."

The guard notices the sigil on Leanna's manipulator.  
"You're a Mage-Knight?"

Leanna nods. Jedi knight, I called it.

As the guard turns his focus on me, I draw attention to the blade on my hip.  
He nods gruffly then moves out of the way.

"Just be careful out there."  
You have no clue who you're talking to...

"Thank you."

She gives the guard a grateful smile, before she motions for me to follow her.

Once we're back on the familiar dirt path, I take one last look at Meadowhill Village before refocusing on the road ahead of me.  
Our trek along the path is peaceful. The forest gradually awakens with birdsong an the scuttling of woodland animals. Being used to hostile fauna I glance at every rustle of the leaves.  
Leanna, though, seems unfazed. Her eyes routinely survey her surroundings.  
Suddendly, she freezes. I nearly bump into her.

"What the-"

"Shh!"

I fall silent as she listens. When she speaks her voice is a whisper.

"Did you hear that?"

I concentrate on my ears, listening for anything out of place. Then I hear the voices among the trees.  
"Bandits?"

A strangled scream pierces the air, scaring a flock of birds into flight.

"Someone might be in danger!"  
Well, one does not make such sounds out of joy...

Her previous caution abandoned, Leanna sprints towards the sound and I follow at her heels.  
We both take cover as the trees open up, revealing a man in a trenchcoat surrounded by five bandits. One more bandit lies motionless on the floor.  
Upon seeing their fallen comrade, the bandits all unsheathe their weapons. Three of them hold longswords and two of them point guns. The trenchcoated man doesn't stir. His dark hair falls over his eyes and I can't see his face.

"You won't get away from us this time! Take him out!"

The man pushes open his coat and draws two guns as the bandits converge. That move reminds me of a certain smuggler...  
Leanna sets her jaw.

"Stay here!"

As soon as the words fall from her lips, she races out from the trees. Her hair whips behind her and her white coattails billow in a graceful arc.  
She is moving faster than a normal human, as if the air is pushing her forward instead of dragging her down. Having control over the air sure seems useful.  
Her gauntlet hand clenches and a blue sphere glows, then disappears as she smashes her fist into the nearest bandit.  
He flies away from her and crashes into a tree before crumpling into a heap.

"A Mage-Knight?!"

"She must be with him!"

"Or she's after the bounty! Take her out, too!"

The mysterious man fires a hail of purple blasts at the bandits, catching one of them in the chest.  
Leanna deflects the sword from another bandit with her own blade.  
I contemplate if I should step in. They seem able to hold their ground, but it's better to be safe than sorry.  
Ignoring Leanna's command, I unsheath my sword and charge into battle. I could end this easily with a Chain Lightning, but I don't want to give away my powers just yet.  
I engage the nearest bandit with a sword. He notices me soon enough and manages to block my opening strike. And the first ones after that, as I get used to the weight of the blade.  
But being schooled in Makashi, also known as form II of the lightsaber styles, which excels in duels, a mere bandit doesn't stand a chance and I soon cut him down.  
I look around myself as I sheath my blade, and the other two seem to have won their battles as well.

Leanna breathes heavily as she surveys the bodies around her. She glances at me and the stranger who's still standing.

"Anyone hurt?"

I dust myself off in that typically arrogant manner.

"No, I'm fine."

Leanna nods, then fidgets with her manipulator.  
The man stays silent as he inspects his gun.  
Now that I have a better look at him, I realise that although his fierce scowl makes him seem though, he doesn't look that much older than me. His hair has a habit of falling around his eyes, but as he pushes it back, I notice a long scar across one eye. It reminds me of Destra, as she has a nasty scar across one eye as well.  
Once satisfied, he tucks the gun back into his belt and gets to his feet.  
He nods at us.

"Thanks."  
His voice is deep and husky, and along with that crimson trimmed trenchcoat of his he reminds me of Jack 'Lynx' Vizla, one of the two champions of the great hunt. I bet he's a bounty hunter or mercenary.

But after saying that, he turns away.

"Wait!"  
Leanna seems eager...

He pauses.

"Where are you headed?"

"Why?"

"There might be more bandits around. We should team up if we're going in the same direction. Safety in numbers."

He studies us in stony silence. Then his gaze flicks to her manipulator and he relaxes slightly.

"Where are you going?"

"We're headed to Illumia."

"Me too."  
Although his voice is a bit gruff, it also seems friendly to an extend.

Leanna nods.

"You're from the Mage Guild?"

"Yes. I'm Leanna."

"I'm Xerath."

"Zack."

"Poi poi!"

All of us glance at the little blue pango who seemingly popped out of nowhere.  
"And, uh, this is our little friend."

"I see."

"Poi!"

The pango blinks at Zack, who stares him down. The pango bounces uncertainly.  
"...poi?"

Zack's unblinking stare never wavers, so the pango scoots behind my leg for safety.

"Now that introductions are over, let's get moving."  
Man, he's at least as pragmatic as Lana. I'm sure we'll get along just fine.

Zack waits for us to collect our things, and once we're all set, we head back to the road.  
Leanna and I lead the way, the pango keeping pace with us, while Zack hangs a few steps behind us.

"Leanna, I saw you during the fight. How were you able to move so fast?"  
It didn't look like Force Speed.

"Oh, I cast wind magic to manipulate my movements."  
Thought as much. I wonder how it works, though.

"To what extent, if I may ask?"

"They're just small adjustments, like shifting the draft to move me forward or using a breeze to help lift me during jumps."

Hmm, the results may be similar to using Force Speed or a Force Jump, but the way of achieving it differs greatly, I see.  
"That sounds quite useful."

She grins.  
"The next time you're lagging behind I'll use my wind to give you a little boost."

Lagging behind? You have no idea what you're speaking of, woman.  
But I don't want to offend her. I fancy myself quite diplomatic.  
"That would be amazing."

Leanna seems pleased by my reaction. Success.  
But on another note...

"How did Zack know you are in the Mage Guild?"

"He saw my emblem."  
She lifts up her arm and points to the sigil on her manipulator.

Now I am quite curious...  
"What exctly does the Mage Guild do?"

"We investigate any type of magical anomaly. The Mage Guild in Havengarde is actually headquartered in Illumia."

Hmm, that sounds less like the Jedi and more like a civil police force. Although a mean one could say that the Jedi are just that, a glorified police. Luckily, I am not one of those.  
"Sort of like a police force?"

"'Police'?"

"Um, like how detectives go out into the field to solve mysteries."

"Um, a little like that."

It now makes even more sense as to why both the guard in Meadowhill Village and Zack relaxed after seing Leanna's emblem.

As the curious soul that I am, I wonder if these pistols are like blasters.  
"So, what type of gun is Zack carrying?"

"You mean his discharger?"

Even though I'll probably sound like a complete idiot, I need clarity.  
"What's a discharger?"

I hear a sound behind us. Zack raises an eyebrow when I turn to look at him.

"Did you hit your head or something?"  
Not in recent history. But I could hit your head if you insist.

Leanna looks a little uncomfortable.  
"He's... not exactly from around here..."

Zack crosses his arms.  
"I see."

There's a pause. I mentally sigh.  
"Soooo, a discharger...?"

"It's a weapon that uses crystal spheres to power it."

"So it _is_ a gun."  
Sounds more like a blaster type of weapon than a mass based weapon, but that term is widely usable.

"Maybe?"

"The 'spheres' are the magazine, or the energy pack in this case, since it fires bolts of energy. I see..."

Leanna looks uncertain.  
Although it makes sense in my head, I can see why she might be confused.  
"Nevermind, I got it. Thank you."

"Sure."

She smiles and I return it. It sure is infectious. I feel Zack's gaze on me but his expression is hard to read. He would make for a good mandalorian, I'm sure.

"Well, it looks like that guard was telling the truth. There definitely are bandits on this road."

"Yeah..."

There's something in her voice which makes me think she doesn't completely agree.

"What is it?"

"It's just... Well for bandits, they were pretty well equipped."  
Hm, I couldn't tell. Some of the goons of the Hutt Cartel or any other crime organisation I faced before where partially better equipped than the actual armies of the Empire and the Republic.

She stares hard at Zack, but he doesn't react. That's a face and not a helmet, right?

"What does that mean? Are they not bandits?"

Leanna continues to look at Zack.  
"I'm not sure-"

"They were bandits."  
He crosses his arms as he pointedly interrupts Leanna. I can tell when someone is hiding something. And there is definetly more to him than meets the eye.

Leanna, however, looks sharply at Zack, clearly caught off-guard.

"Sure..."  
That didn't sound too convincing.  
The subject drops, but I still feel a tiny bit uneasy. If those guys weren't bandits, then who were they? And why were they attacking Zack? One of them also said he wouldn't get away 'this time', meaning they already encountered him before. But then again, Zack looks like a merc, and depending on how successful he is, there's a good chance of a bounty on his head. So maybe they were just bounty hunters, then? They mentioned a bounty, too...  
The questions circle my mind as the conversation lulls to silence. Leanna leads the way though she seems to have something on her mind.  
Zack trails from behind, he remains on heightened alert.  
We travel together for quite some time with no further interruptions. I can feel my legs start to tire from all the walking. Oh, how I miss my scout walker. Leanna squints at the sky.  
"We should make camp before it gets dark."

Zack nods.  
"There's a good spot up ahead which hides us from view. It'll still give us visibility on any intruders, though."

Mercenary alright.  
"Sounds good."

Zack leads the way and soon we reach the clearing.  
The three of us get to work setting up camp. I roll out my bedroll near the campfire and notice how thinly it spreads on the ground. Can this thing really be comfortable?  
I guess there's only one way to find out.  
I lie down on the bedroll and place my hands behind my head.  
This isn't as bad as I thought. A yawn escapes my lips. I could definitely fall asleep here...  
My gaze lingers on the night sky above. The moon of this world hangs in the inky sky, dotted with so many pinpricks of silver light. They sparkle vividly, as if trying to chase away the dark.  
I breath out a breath in wonder.  
This is wonderful. It's been a while since I've got so simply gaze at a star-dotted sky in peace like that. I try to pick out a few constellations, but the star patterns above are unfamiliar. Well, from any planet the stars appear different.

"What are you looking at?"

I quickly sit up at the sound of Leanna's voice. She holds two steaming bowls in her hands. I accept one of the bowls with a smile as she sits beside me.

"Just admiring the sky. This place is really beautiful. Back where I live, you don't get to see so many stars."  
Well, you do on Odessen. But I also have a private appartment in Kaas City where I reside from time to time, so it's not technically a lie.

"How come?"

Well, I could say that it's because the whole planet is permanently covered in a wild thunderstorm, but that's too specific for Dromund Kaas.  
"Light pollution. Our cities are filled with so much light that it drowns out the stars."  
Especially true on worlds like Coruscant or Ziost, before Valkorion almost turned it into a second Nathema.

Leanna gazes thoughtfully at the sky.  
"Right, it's a little harder to see the stars in town than it is out here."

I shake my head.  
"That's not the same. Some nights I don't see the stars at all."

Her eyes widen in suprise. Then she places her chin in her hands.  
"A night sky without stars..."

She looks at me as I look at her. I can tell that she already became close to me. I stop myself before my thoughts go further in that diretion.

"What's your world like?"  
She looks at me with innocent curiosity and interest. It should be fine to tell her the truth by now, I think.

"It's more than one world, actually."

"What do you mean?"

"How do I explain this? Hmm... So, remember when I said that Odessen is my Terra?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, Odessen is not the only world, or planet, I live on."

"What?! How is that possible? Do you use magic to travel between worlds?"

"Not quite. How can I phrase that...? Ahh, right. You see all these stars up there, right?"

"Of course, why?"

"Every single one of those stars is just like the sun, with countless planets orbitating around each of them. We call the entirety of stars in this area a galaxy, while a star and the planets in it's gravity form a system."

Her eyes grow wider the more I speak. This is a lot to take in at once, but since I started, I have to cover at least the basics.

"And we travel between systems with spaceships, which are giant constructions of metal. As you can guess by that, we are technologically quite advanced."

Her eyes are wide in wonder and her mouth is slightly agape.

"I... I'm sorry if that was too much at once... I didn't meant to overwhelm you."

"No, it's fine. It's just a lot to take in."  
She speaks slowly as if still processing all this information I just dumped on her.

I nod understandingly.  
She tilts her head back and returns her gaze to the sky. Underneath the moonlight, her pale skin seems to glow amidst the darkness, contrasting to my dark tanned skin. She is unbelievable beautiful, and I feel myself falling for her by the minute. What? A Sith learns to always be sure of his emotions, and I ain't dense. It's just that I haven't felt this way since a really long time, and I don't really know how to act upon it. Well, I'll be me, I guess, and see where this is going.

Her face softens as she smiles.  
"You're right. The stars really are beautiful."

We fall into a comfortable silence as we enjoy the tranquility of the night.

After we've finished eating and cleaning up, Zack approaches us.

"It's getting late."

Leanna nods.

"I'll take first watch so you can take rest."

"Alright, I take second watch."

"I guess that just leaves me with third."

Zack stares unblinkingly at me, while Leanna coughs nervously.

"That's okay. We had an early start and I'm sure you're tired. We should rest up and sleep through the night."  
It seems they don't trust me. If only they knew...

She has a point, though. I _am_ tired. Guess I'll just take her up on that offer.  
"Alright, thanks."

She smiles warmly.  
"Goodnight then."

And it was already worth it.

"Goodnight."

Zack nods. Then Leanna crawls into her bedroll.  
As she lies down, Zack positions himself against a tree and takes a seat.

If we're going to be traveling togehter, I should make an effort to get to know what kind of person he is, although I think I already have a solid grasp.  
I walk over to Zack.  
"Hey."

"Hmm?"

"Mind if I sit?"

He gestures for me to join him, so I do.

...

Obviously, I'll have to lead the conversation.  
"Soooo, how's the weather?"  
I never was great at this so called 'small talk'.

Zack stares at me.  
Alright, let's switch gears.  
"Um, are you a feline or a canine person?"  
Even I know of those, and I'm more of a feline person. Manka Cats and Nexu are just adorable. When they aren't trying to tear you apart, that is.

"...Is this going anywhere?"

I sigh.  
"I'm trying to build up some trust here but you've got to meet me halfway."

Zack looks away. Great, I guess he doesn't want to talk...

"Dog."

"What?"

"I prefer canines."

"Oh, cool."

The silence creeps in again.

"So, we're all going to Illumia."

"Yup."

"What brings you there?"

"I'm meeting someone."

"Oh? A friend?"

"Someone from work."

"What do you do?"

"I'm a mercenary."  
Hah! Nailed it.

"It all makes sense now."

"What does?"

"Everything about you. The angst, that hard-boiled exterior, the frequent cold shoulder... Actually, a friend of mine is quite similar to you. I'm sure you would make a fine mandalorian."

"What are you talking about?"

He stares at me and I smirk. That's exactly how Lynx would react.

"So why are you going to Illumia?"

"Leanna's taking me to the Mage Academy."

He studies me again.  
"Are you a mage? You don't have a manipulator."

I shake my head. To delve into that would consume too much time.  
"No, I'm looking for answers."

He nods in understanding and doesn't pry. Although I try to stop it, a yawn escapes.

"You should get some sleep. We have an early start in the morning."

I'm basically a god but still need sleep. Tch. Well, at least I'm immortal by now. Anyway...

"That sounds familiar."

I push myself to standing.

"Goodnight."

He nods.

I lie down in my bedroll and scooch around to get comfortable. I try closing my eyes to sleep, but something still doesn't feel right...  
Oh yeah! I need a pillow.  
Sitting up, I look around for anything I can use. My gaze falls on the pango who now rests beside Leanna.  
The little pango rolls over in his sleep. I don't want to disturb him... plus, that would be pretty rude.  
I don't find anything else suitable and decide to just make do without one. Lying back down on the bed, I close my eyes and eventually drift off to sleep.


	3. Day 3: Problems at Raven Pass

A dull throbbing in my back pulls me awake. I hadn't fully appreciated the magic of matresses until now.  
A yawn escapes and I stretch widely. Aside from the achiness, I actually feel well rested.  
I sit up and glance around. Zack leans against a tree with his head down. His hair covers his eyes so I can't tell if they're open or closed.  
Regardless, his hands rest on the handles of his dischargers. Always prepared, I see.  
Looking around again, I fail to spot Leanna. Where did she go?  
I think I heard a cry in the distance. Is that her? I should investigate.  
Crossing over a hill, I see Leanna practicing in an open field. She grips her blade in a fighting stance, her face stern with concentration.

"Hyah!"

She swings her blade in a high arc, ending with a graceful spin. Judging by how fluid and accurate her movement is, it's clear she has dedicated many years to perfecting her craft.  
Her hair whips around her as she turns, but never seems to blow in her face.  
Even with heavy armor, her movements are still nimble, as if she's wearing no armor at all. Only great warriors can be this agile in such an armor.  
Once she notices me, she lowers her sword.

"Oh sorry, did I wake you? I moved out here so I wouldn't disturb you."  
How considerate can one person be?

"No, I was already up. I didn't see you at camp so I came looking."

"Gotcha."

"Poi!"  
Glancing down my feet, I spot the beaming pango. Leanna giggles.

"Looks like you guys are best friends already!"

I can't deny I already grew fond of that little blob.  
"The best of friends! Isn't that right?"

The pango nods excitedly.  
"Poi poi!"

Taking that as a confirmation, I continue.  
"It's pretty early. Do you always begin your mornings with a warm up?"

Leanna nods.  
"It helps me wake up and prepare for the day ahead. Also, it's become a part of my routine so it just doesn't feel right when I don't do it."

"I know what you mean. I can't really go through with my morning routine from Odessen here on Terra and it feels a bit strange."  
Though I have to admit that it is a nice diversion from hearing problems from all around the galaxy all day.

"Right."  
Leanna looks down.

The awkwardness creeps into the silence. She probably took that in a negative way, which wasn't my intention.  
"That's okay, though, I can always make a new routine!"

"New routine?"

I unsheath my blade and grip it.  
"This morning practise you do seems like a good place to start."  
I can spend more time with her _and_ get some sword training in. It's a win-win situation.

She grins, so I think she likes the idea as well.  
"Considering how well you handled yourself yesterday, I'm curious to see what's the extend of your skillset."

I smirk.  
"Only one way to find out. So, what's the lession today?"

She focuses and matches my fighting stance by raising her sword.  
"Since you already have some experience with a blade, sparring will be the best way to gauge your skills!"

I tighten the grip on my blade.  
"Ready when you are!"

"Here I come!"

Leanna dashes towards me. Her movements seem slower than what they were during the bandit fight. It seems like she isn't using her wind magic.  
I manage to keep pace with her, but every time I think I'm about to get the upperhand, her intensity increases until we're equally matched again.  
Even so, I could feel her holding back. Without using magic, Mage-Knights are still a formidable opponent with the sword... Especially if they're anything like Leanna.  
We go back and forth with a few more swings, until Leanna strikes from above.  
I hurridly block with my sword, but I lose my balance in my hurry and topple to the ground, landing on my back.  
"Oof."

Leanna kneels down beside me.  
"Your fundamentals are solid. If you keep practicing, I'm sure you'll be a formidable warrior in no time!"

"That's pretty high praise when it's coming from you."

She smiles and blushes. Cute.  
Leanna extends a hand and helps me back onto my feet.

"It would be better if I could watch you spar with someone else. That way, I can see your movements from different angles and give you better feedback."

A grand idea, but...  
"Unless the pango can use a sword, the only other option is Zack."

I look around and spot Zack leaning against a tree closer to our sparring location. He watches us with his arms crossed. Wait, how long has he been here and how come I didn't notice him?  
Leanna rushes over to him.

"Zack!"

"Hm?"

"Would you be willing to duel with him?"  
She points to me.  
"I'd like to get a better look at his technique."

He merely stares at her.  
"Oh... right. You'd need a blade."

Leanna hands her blade to Zack. He takes it from her and inspects it.  
"What are the rules of the duel?"

"Standard spar. Be the first one to knock your opponent to the ground."

Zack nods and heads toward the field.  
As Leanna returns to me, we share a glance. That was suprisingly easy.  
I guess it's not in his nature to back down from a fight... even if it's a fake one. I'm still sure he would make a fine mandalorian.

"Are you two ready?"

I step a decent distance away from Zack and ready my blade.

"Yes."

Zack continues to stand there. I look at Leanna again and she just shrugs.  
He nods.

"Okay, begin!"

I immediatly rush forward and just barely notice how he draws his gun. I reflexively raise my blade to block the blast. It connects and the force behind it is greater than anticipated, it knocks the blade straight out of my hand.  
He fires again and suddenly I'm on the ground, staring at the sky with an aching pain in my chest and the wind knocked out of me.  
I groan.

"Strange, I thought he'd last at least three shots."  
He sounds smug. Well, at least he's not indifferent anymore.

"Zack!"  
Uh oh, Leanna's mad.

"What?"

"Why did you use your discharger?!"

"Why not?"  
He has a point.

Leanna don't seem to see it, as she steps forward.  
"The whole point was to have a sword match with him!"

"You didn't list that as a rule."  
True again.

But Leanna's frustration is evident in her voice.  
"Why else would I give you my sword?"

"Why _did_ you give me your sword?"

"For you to use!"  
She snatches her blade back from Zack and heads over to me.

"Are you hurt?"

"So this is what it feels like to be emasculated... twice."  
My gaze drifts slightly past Leanna to the blue sky behind her.  
"At least the view is nice."

Leanna helps me up again.

"The one and only lesson you need to know when fighting: do whatever it takes to win."

Memories of Darth Thanaton, Arcann, Vaylin and Valkorion cross my mind.  
"I already know that one."

Zack didn't hear me mutter, because he turns around as soon as he's done speaking and heads back to the campsite.

Leanna huffs.  
"Mercenaries can be so annoying sometimes."

"Maybe so, but this point is pretty valid."

Leanna shakes her head.  
"There's more to a battle than winning, like honor, justice, and even mercy if the case calls for it. The last thing you want to do is forget who you are and turn into your enemy."

"While it is admirable to hold onto one's gospel, sometimes it is absolutely crucial to win, and you have to use every advantage you can get. Let's say you are against an enemy you know you can't beat without swallowing your pride and do something you absolutely don't want to, but the whole kingdom is at stake."

"You speak out of experience, don't you? Did something like that happen to you?"

"Yes. My whole life..."

She seems to notice my scowl.  
"Anyway, I think we've had enough practice for one day. We should pack up and continue on our journey."

I nod and follow Leanna back to camp.  
We pack up our things and clean up the campsite. Then we continue our journey.

As we walk, we slip into a comfortable silence. Zack lingers behind Leanna and I while the pango returns to his usual spot on my head.  
I let my gaze travel across the marvelous landscape. Rolling hills with green grass on one side, and a forest with tall trees to the other, I can't help but be in awe of the natural beauty. While I visited many beautiful planets before, like Alderaan and Rishii, this is still something special.

After a few hours of gazing at the landscape, it doesn't feel like we're getting any closer, though.  
"So... how long until we reach Illumia?"

"We'll need to stop at Raven Pass to restock and spend the night, but if we continue to make good time, we'll reach Illumia by mid-day tomorrow."

One more day of walking. Oh, how I miss Storm Rider...  
I nod, and we fall back into silence.

By mid-afternoon, we arrive at the gates of a settlement even smaller than Meadowhill Village.  
The town consists of an inn and a few shops - the bare essentials. They probably only ever see travelers like us, people passing through on their way to Illumia.

"Okay, we should stock up on supplies.", Leanna speaks up.

"I'll be making a stop at the weaponsmith."  
Zack pats the two holstered dischargers by his side. Now that I think about it, I only saw him use one during that bandit ambush. The other one must have already been damaged.

"I'll check out the shops since my weopons are okay on repairs."

"I'll go with you."  
More time with her is always a plus.

Leanna smiles.

Zack nods.  
"See you soon then."  
He turns down another path.

"Let's go!"  
She sure is energetic for walking about more than half a day. Not that I complain.  
Leanna smiles back at me as she leads the way to the shops.  
Her smiles could very well become my only weakness...  
Oops, I zoned off a bit.  
"Wait up!"

We find the general store with ease since the marketplace itself is quite small. In fact, I'm suprised at how busy this store is.  
I guess if you're the only general store around, business is bound to be good.  
As Leanna picks out a couple items, I look around the shop. I notice people of all backgrounds, wearing clothes ranging from the leather I'd seen in Meadowhill to intricately embroidered robes. They aren't as elegant as my own, of course, but they don't look bad. They really get all types travelling through here, though.  
Once Leanna is finished, I follow her to the counter to pay for our items.

"Will that be all for today?"

Leanna nods with a friendly smile gracing her lips.

"Your total comes to 34 coins."

Leanna's eyes widen.

"34 coins for these? It should be at most 30!"

The shopkeeper frowns apologetically. He doesn't seem too happy about the price either.  
"I'm sorry, miss. The goods themselves are only 20 coins. The rest of the cost is the 70% tax."

70%? That is about as much as the Republic and the Sith Empire had to pay Zakuul every month after their defeat. And way too high to pass off to the common folk.

Leanna furrows her brow.  
"I don't remember the tax being so high in the past."

"The mayor only recently increased the tax..."

"Has no one asked why? It doesn't seem fair."  
Such high taxes are almost never fair. Maybe they lost a war, too? It can't be helped in such cases.

The man nods.  
"We did in the beginning, but then the Mayor hired 'enforcers' of the new law."  
Something's fishy here...

Leanna frowns, but doesn't say anything more. The shopkeeper continues to look apolegetic as he gestures at her items.  
"I'm really sorry, miss, but I don't have any other choice."

"I understand. It's not your fault."  
She hands over the coins.

"Thank you for understanding. Safe travels."

As we head out, Leanna seems quiter than usual.  
"Are you okay?"  
I think I know what's on her mind right now, but I can't help to be worried.

"Something about this just doesn't seem right. New tax rules and new guards to enforce them? I came through here only a few days ago on my way to Meadowhill and the tax hadn't been changed then. It all seems too sudden."

"We should find out what's going on here."  
I'm always one for sticking my nose where it doesn't belong.

Leanna blinks.  
"Really?"

I nod.  
"We can't just leave it alone if something foul is at play here."

Leanna smiles. And the additional hassle is already worth it.  
"You're right. Anyway, let's go meet up with Zack."

I nod.

We make our way to the lane of armoury and smiths and peek through a few shop windows before we spot Zack. A guard looms over him.  
"Uh oh, this doesn't look promising..."

Leanna frowns as we enter the shop.

"This doesn't concern you. Stay out of it!"

"It became my concern when you threatened him in front of me!"

"Threatened? All I told him was what 'may' happen to his store if he doesn't pay up for these protective services."  
This scum sounds like a goon of the Hutt Cartel...

"Leave. Now."  
Zack's tone leaves no room for argument. Seems like he's about as mad as me, so it would be a good idea for that 'guard' to leave.

The guard laughs. Goons like that usually lack intelligence, so it's not suprising.  
"What makes you think I'd listen to _you_?"

Zack glares at the guard as he flips open his coat and reveals his discharger. He grips the second one on the table.

The color drained from the guards face.  
"Two dischargers with purple spheres and a black trenchcoat... It can't be..."

Zack shifts slightly, increasing the ferocity in his eyes. The guard tries to hide his fear with false bravado. He turns to the shopkeeper.  
"You're lucky your friend was here today. He won't always be here though."

After imparting one last more or less subtle threat, the guard hurries out of the shop, brushing past Leanna and I. I was close to trip him up.

Zack relaxes and the shopkeeper sighs in relief.  
"Thank you."

"That have to do with the new tax you mentioned?"

The shopkeeper nods.  
"The taxes just keep growing. I've tried to hold my prices as low as possible for my costumers, but then our taxes grow and... well... you saw what happens next..."

His fingers tremble as he takes back the discharger. I think he's still shaken up by what happened. Understandable, not everyone has to deal with something like this on a day to day basis.  
"I'm sorry, I still need a few more minutes to finish up the repairs. It would have been done by now if we hadn't been interrupted."

Zack nods. The weaponsmith gives him a grateful smile as he returns to his workroom.

"Tax issues again."  
They managed to piss me off.

"It looks like it's affecting all of the stores, and it's only going to get worse."

"I'm not going to let it escalate."

Leanna and I glance at Zack in suprise.  
"You two head to the inn. I have something to take care of first."

"What are you planning to do?"

"I'm going to pay a visit to the mayor."

That is remarkable, but...  
"A gun-for-hire working for free?"

For a second, a shadow of regret crosses his face so quickly I wonder if I actually saw it. It's soon replaced with his usual blank stare.  
"I'm sure a sizeable reward will be offered by the shopkeepers for lowering their taxes."

Now I know he's just acting tough. Even if the shopkeepers did want to give a reward, I doubt they have the money right now. But at least I know now that he is a decent person. I can work with that.

Leanna frowns.  
"As much as I disagree with your reasoning, I also want to get to the bottom of this."

"I'm in too."

The shopkeeper returns and places Zack's discharger on the counter.  
"All fixed."

"Thanks. Here."  
Zack offers coins to the vendor, who shakes his head.  
"Please don't worry about it. You've already done me a huge favour by helping me with the guard."

Zack holsters his discharger and places the coins on the counter anyway.  
"I insist."

The shopkeeper looks conflicted, then sighs and nods gratefully.

Zack leads the way out of the shop and through the town. His footsteps are long and full of purpose, which is a change from his quiet, cautious demeanor.  
I can't help but look at him with newfound respect. This is the first time I've seen him so determined and driven.

Soon we arrive in front of a large, elaborate mansion. It looks very out of place compared to the modest shops in the rest of the town.  
Two men guard the entrance.

"Hm."  
Zack pauses and sizes up the guards.

"I doubt they'll just let us waltz in to see the mayor."

Zack nods and readies his discharger.  
"Agreed."

"W-What are you guys planning?"  
Leanna's slightly fearful voice makes my heart tremble.

I try to reassure her.  
"We'll knock them out and make our way in."

Zack blinks, then fiddles with his discharger.  
"Right... Just knock them out..."

Leanna looks at Zack.  
"I don't agree with this decision. We don't know for sure these guards are bad."

I just can't bring myself to disagree with her on that one. She does already have more influence on me as she thinks. Weither that is good or bad remains to be seen.  
"She does have a point. We might be jumping to conclusions. Maybe we should try talking with them first?"

"I doubt that would work."

"It doesn't hurt to try."  
Leanna sounds more optimistic now. I'm reliefed.

Zack frowns, but after some thought, he nods.  
"We'll try that first. If that fails, we go to plan B."

"Plan B?"

Zack has already moved towards the guards and doesn't hear Leanna's question. She faces me.  
"Do you know what his plan B is?"

"I assume the B stands for 'breaking in'."

"Let's just hope it doesn't resort to that."

"Yeah, I hope so too."

We catch up to Zack.

"Halt, what is your business here?"

"We're here to see the mayor."

"Does he expect your audience?"

Zack shakes his head.  
"No, but I need to speak with him about this latest tax hike."

The other guard chimes in.  
"The tax hike?"

The guards glance at each other and lower their weapons slightly. It almost seems as if they disappprove of the taxes too.

"You guys don't seem to happy with the taxes either."  
Leanna's voice is understanding but firm.

One of the guards hesistates, then nods.  
"My sister runs the bakery in town and the taxes have been hurting her business."

"Then why haven't you done anything about it?"  
Zack is not amused.

"We've tried, as have some of the other guards. When we protested, the treasurer recommended the mayor to hire 'real' guards.  
He gloweres as he mentions the treasurer.

"Treasurer?"

"Yeah. Things have gotten really strange ever since he came to town. Suddenly the Mayor is passing crazy rules he never would have passed before.

The other guard elbows his comrade.  
"Quiet down! Do you want one of his lackeys to hear?"

The first guard frowns and falls silent. Leanna raises her hand to her chin in thought.  
"This treasurer sounds really suspicious."

I think she just spoke all of our minds.

The guard motions to her manipulator.  
"Wait, you're a Mage-Knight?"

Leanna blinks.  
"Yes, that's correct.

"Can you scan the treasurer for Magic use?! I swear he's doing-"

"Not your crazy theories again! They already have a court mage to see to that."

"Yes, a court mage who was _assigned by_ the treasurer."

The second guard frowns but doesn't reply.

"If we let you through, will you just scan around and see if you notice anything?"

Leanna nods.  
"Yes, I'll do what I can."

"Just be careful. Some of the treasurer's hired guards may not be so fond of you poling around."

Both guards step to the side.  
"On your way."

"Let's go."

Hmm, this went better than expected. But then again, I half expected to have to battle through half the garrison here.

Zack leads the way again. We follow behind as Leanna fiddles with her manipulator.  
As we progress through the mansion, we pass unnoticed by the clerks and guards miling about.  
They must assume we have a reason to be here if we got through the front door.

Leanna stares intently at her manipulator, her brow furrowed in confusion.  
"This doesn't make any sense."

"What is it?"

"The readings... they're so erratic... it's almost like there's-but there can't be..."  
Okay, now I'm concerned. For her sake, not for mine, of course.

"There's what?

"Shadow magic."

Zack looks sharply at Leanna.  
"Shadow magic?"

She reluctantly nods.

Zack sets his jaw and thightens the grip on his discharger.

The way she pronounced it and Zack's reaction implies that this 'shadow magic' is not welcome here. If my theory is correct, then I found the element balancing the others. But I need more informations to confirm my assumptions.

"Shadow magic, huh? Someone mind telling me what that is?"

"It's forbidden magic."

Really now? I sense great powers waiting for me.  
She's entirely focused on her manipulator, though.

"It's coming from-"  
She jogs down a hallway and stops in front of fancy looking wooden double doors.  
"-Behind there."

Suddenly, a voice calls out from behind us.  
"It's you!"

Standing down the hall is the same guard from the shop.  
"How did you get in here? Intruders!"

All eyes fall on us as he begins yelling. The guards who previously ignored us, now draw their weapons as they close in.  
Zack pulls out his dischargers.  
"You go deal with whatever that is. I'll keep them busy here."

Zack kicks down one of the tables and drops behind it for cover.  
"Go, now!"  
As he raises his guns, purple energy swirls to life. He rains a hail of energy bolts down the hall in supressive fire.

Leanna bursts through the doors, and I stay at her heels. The noise from the battle gradually fades away as we run deeper into the mansion.  
Eventually, the hall leads into a study. A carved wooden desk, laden with books and ledgers, is in the center with bookcases surrounding it.  
A man wearing a hooded dark robe sits at the desk. He sribbles something with one hand while the other hand is hidden within his robe. The man just screams 'Sith'.  
An older man sits on the other side of the desk. His greying hair sticks out in strange angles and his embroidered clothes are slightly askew.  
He stares at the ledgers on the desk, but his eyes are dull, as if they aren't really seing it. Two guards stand by the doorway, as still as statues, with the same dull eyes.  
That is probably the second strongest form of mind control I've seen up to this point. I need to know how he is doing that.  
My musings are cut short as the treasurer rises to his feet.  
"Who let these two in?! I explicitly said no visitors!"

Leanna's manipulator pulses wildly, especially when she raises her arm towards him.  
"It's him! He's the source of the shadow magic!"

I wouldn't have guessed. But his obvious attire aside, I can feel the dark power emitting from him as well.

Neither the mayor nor the guards react.

"How dare you making such accusations! Arrest her immediately!"

The guards ready their weapons.

I look around the room again. I don't want to hurt them. Leanna seems to misinterpret my expression, though.  
"It's no use. He's influencing them with shadow magic!"

You are influencing me, woman. He _controls_ them. But I'm smart enough to keep that thought to myself.

A gust of wind gatheres around Leanna, violently whipping her hair and clothes. It concentrates in her gauntleted palm, and she hurls it at them.  
The wind knocks the guards against the walls and blows open the robe of the treasurer, exposing his hidden hand.  
Within his palm is a dark crystal sphere. It looks like a marble of darkness and swirling smoke. It reminds me of the seeds of rage, although they were more cylindrical.  
From within the crystal are shadow tendrils which extend to the Mayor and his two unconscious guards.

Leanna's voice is flat when she speaks. I've never heard her sound so serious before.  
"A tainted sphere and the branding of VOID."

"You... You have seen too much!"  
The treasurer raises the black sphere high and shadow energy shoots straight towards Leanna.  
She raises her hand and creates another ball of wind which she fires at the shadowy bolt.  
The shadow ball cuts through Leanna's magic like a lightsaber through most matter and her wind scatters harmlessly into the room.

She gasps suprised.  
"Ah!"

An image of her being impaled by that energy flashes briefly through my mind...  
"Leanna!"

I dash towards her and knock her out of the way. I take the full brunt of the shadow blast and I'm flung back against the wall. Agony sears my body. This power is more potent than I expected, I admit.  
I grit through the pain and look at Leanna. It doesn't look like any of the magic hit her. I'm glad.  
She rushes over, her face a mix of bewilderment and concern.

I muster up a smile.  
"Go get 'em."

"That was so reckless..."  
Her voice is small and I am once again abashed by her concern. She really does care about _me_ , doesn't she?  
Leanna unsheathes her blade.  
A determined fire in her eyes, she faces the treasurer and raises her sword.  
Her manipulator glows with power which flows into her blade, encasing it in a similar glow.  
Magic particles swirl around as static sparks of energy lash out from her weapon.  
In an instant she dashes towards the treasurer at a speed even I have to admit is quite impressive.  
He fires two shadow bolts, but Leanna uses her blade to cut through the air and shoots off two slices of energy which cut through the shadow magic.

Interesting. Either she has received a power surge or my theory of balance was wrong.

The treasurer seems perplexed as well.  
"What?!"

"Hyahhh!"  
Leanna lunges and charges her blade towards the treasurer.

"!"  
It was at this moment that he knew, he screwed up.  
But just before her sword could pierce him, the treasure throws his tainted sphere to the ground.  
It shatters apart and the shadowy mist leaks out of the orb, enclosing the room in a dark fog.  
The thick fog clouds my vision, so I can't see anything. However, I don't feel the presence of the treasurer anymore. As it begins to fade, I make out Leanna watching her surroundings, but the treasurer is nowhere to be seen.  
When she doesn't see her enemy, the glow from her sword fades away.

"Ugh..."  
The mayor lets out a throaty groan. He rubs at his head, his eyes now looking groggy like somebody who has just woken up.  
"What is...?"

Leanna sheathes her blade.  
"Take it easy. You were under the effects of shadow magic."

"...Shadow magic...?"  
He shakes his head as if to free his thoughts. He must be trying to shake off the lingering effects of the magic.  
"Is.. is it finally over...?"

Leanna nods.

The mayor takes a few more minutes to compose himself. When his eyes seem more focused, he sighs in relief.  
"You have my thanks."

Suddenly the door barges open and Zack races in. Behind him is a wave of guards.  
"Stop him!"

"He's with us!"  
Leanna's response is as swift as her sword.

The mayor stands unsteadily on his feet but adresses the guards.  
"Leave them be!"

"But they-"

"I said leave them be!"

They hesitate and shoot confused glances at each other, but ultimately follow the order and lower their weapons.

"Took you guys long enough."  
I'm happy to see you, too.

He looks at me,  
"What are you doing down there?"

I groan as I rotate onto my back. I was so mesmerized by Leanna's fierce side that I completely forgot to heal myself. Eh, I can do that later. Leanna offers me a hand, which I accept.  
"He took a shadow blast... Aimed for me..."

Zack blinks in suprise, but looks impressed.  
"Seems like you ended up being useful after all."

Say that again and I'll show you how useful I can really get. Luckily, I know it's just his way of showing his respect.  
"Thanks?"

Leanna checks her manipulator, but it remains still.  
"The shadow magic is gone."

Not quite, since I absorbed a bit, but I guess I don't mention it. I want to study it further this evening.  
The mayor seems much more alert, though.  
"It was my treasurer, wasn't it?"

Leanna nods. He sighs heavily and sits back down in his chair.  
"When he first arrived into town I thought he would be like all the other travelers and go on his way. But he said he knew how to make this town even greater than what it is now. He had ideas on how we could become more than just a wayward stop. The first step was to increase taxes to build up our treasury..."

He hangs his head in his hands.  
"All I wanted was to help the people here have better lives, but all I've done is cause them suffering."

"You weren't in control of yourself."

"But it was me who made all the rulings and enforced those tax laws."

Leanna shakes her head.  
"It wasn't you. That man had a tainted sphere and he was using it to influence you."

The mayor leans back. He looks tired, as if a huge weight was dropped on him.  
"I don't deserve to continue as mayor of this town."

This is an admirable leader. To realise a mistake and offering to step down because of it takes guts. Heh, the complete opposite of Saresh. I'm just glad we dealt with her. Permanently.

One of the guards steps forward.  
"That's not true!"

I look over at the voice and recognize him as one of the guards formerly controlled by shadow magic.  
"I know what it's like. When he used that magic, all I could think about was how I could become an honor guard... That thought was overwhelming and I'd do anything to achieve it. I know that wasn't the real you, mayor."

The other formerly controlled guard steps forward and nods.  
"Me too. Little Garrett still plays with the toy sword you gave him for his birthday. Says he's practicing for when he joins the guard too."

The other guards in the room murmur their assent.  
"There's nobody who can run this town better than you."

The mayor glances at the hopeful faces of his guard. In this small town, I believe that he knows each of them by name.  
Finally, he gives them a weak smile.  
"I suppose somebody needs to clean up this mess."

He gets back to his feet and turns to us.  
"I don't know how to thank you for what you've done for us."

Leanna smiles warmly.  
"I'm glad we were able to help."

Zack and I nod.

"You must be exhausted. Please feel free to stay at Raven Pass for as long as you like. You are always welcome here."

"Thank you."

The three of us leave the mayor to his business and head out of the mansion.  
Once outside, I glance up at the darkening sky. Leanna mirrors my movements.  
"We should rest up for the night."

"Agreed."

I nod.  
Ha! I said less then Zack.

"I saw the inn back towards the shops."

Zack leads the way. After turning down a sidestreet, we see the lighted sign for the Hogs Head Inn. I stifle a yawn as we head inside.  
Zack and I sit down while Leanna speaks with the innkeeper. She returns with two room keys, looking a bit shoked. Wordlessly, she passes one to Zack.  
"What's going on?"

"The innkeeper refused to let us pay for the rooms or food. Said it was by order of the mayor, and one he would happily oblige."

"That was really nice of him."  
Though I expected something in this line.

She nods.

Another silence falls over us, but this one feels natural and not a bit uncomfortable.  
After a few more minutes, the staff brings out three steaming bowls and places one in front of each of us.  
Once the bowl hits the table, Zack digs in with gusto and practically inhales his food.  
Leanna and I share a look before we grab our spoons. It can't be this good, right?

"Ah, stew again?"

She nods.  
"It's hearty and filling."

Can't argue with that. And still better than rations.  
"Rabbit again?"

"Actually, this time it's venison."

I take a bite. I was wrong. Now I understand Zack.  
"No way, this is even better!"

Leanna grins.  
"I like venison more."

Venison, got that. I have no clue what that may be, but I'll remember it.  
I try not to wince every time I use my spoon. The fire has eased out of my body but my shoulder still throbs from when I landed on the ground. It's nothing major, but it's uncomfortable.  
Leanna glances at me, then gets up and walks back to the innkeeper. She returns with a compress in her hand.  
She offers it to me with a smile.  
"This should help with the pain."

I hold it against my shoulder and smile appreciately as the pain slowly melts into a dull ache, only partially due to the compress.  
"Thanks for helping me back there."

I smile.  
"Anytime."

I continue to dig into my meal.  
"So, what exactly makes shadow magic bad?"

"It's far more dangerous than any other elemental magic and it's incredibly unstable and volatile."  
Sounds familiar.  
"The most serious thought of shadow Magic is how it's able to amplify the shadowy thoughts in someone's mind."

Sounds familiar as well.  
"So the treasurer was manipulating what the mayor was already feeling?"

She nods.  
"He might have wanted to help the town by looking to expand, but there's also a bit of selfishness on his part for wanting to do that too. Either greed for more money coming in and more luxurious goods, or wanting more fame or recognition."

"Everyone has thoughts like that. It's just a matter of keeping those thoughts in check."  
Darn, Zack has beaten me to the punch.

Leanna nods.  
"Shadow magic, unfortunately, let's those desires loose in a destructive way."

"Is there any way to block against it?"

"Unless you are a mage, not really."  
Zack seems to speak out of experience.

Leanna picks at her food.  
"Most people can't control the magic well, and it's very easy to backfire and cause more harm to the caster than the intended target."

"The treasurer seemed to be handling it well."

She looks even more worried.  
"I know, which is even more troubling considering the fact that shadow magic is outlawed in Havengarde."

Zack pushes his now empty bowl away from him.  
"I think he's part of VOID."

Leanna's frown deepens.  
"I think so too. I noticed the branding on his forearm."

"What's VOID?"

"They're practitioners of shadow magic. They first rose to power during the struggle of the three kingdoms, before the Treaty of Esaria. They wanted to grow their power and the outreach of shadow magic, and a lot of innocent people were killed in the process. At the height of their power, they grew so powerful and were so destructive that the three kingdoms had to set aside their differences and band together."

Zack's finished and Leanna continues.  
"That's when the treaty was formed. Part of the agreement was to outlaw shadow magic."

"Are you really telling me it took three kingdoms to take out _one_ cult?"  
Then again, it took both the Republic and the Empire to take out Revan's cult as well. Where do I optain these powers?

"Shadow magic is a lot more powerful than any other elemental magic, which is why there are people who still want to practise it. It's impossible to stabalise the magic, so it's deemed too dangerous to be used."

Zack nods.

"I see."  
No wonder both Leanna and Zack seemed so grim when they first noticed the shadow magic. From what I've gathered so far, I mustn't take this world and their mages lightly.  
I stifle another yawn.

"Is everyone done eating?"

Zack and I both nod.

"Then I suggest we head to bed."

"I second that motion! I'm exhausted."

"I know."  
She grins and I can feel a rush of warmth to my face. I guess she saw my yawn.

Zack leads the way upstairs and, clutching one of the keys. We stop in front of two adjoining doors.  
"Well, goodnight then."

"Goodnight."

Zack nods.

Leanna turns the key and lets herself into the room.  
Then gently closes the door behind her.

Zack also turns the key and lets himself into the second room. As I'm about to follow him in, the door slams shut!  
Very funny. I turn the handle, but it's locked.  
What the hell?  
"Zack, let me in."

He ignores me, so I pound on the door.  
"Come on, let me in."

He doesn't answer, but a couple of people are poking their heads out of their rooms and glare at me.  
"Sorry."

I gently knock on the door again.  
"Either you open up now, or I'll do it."  
My patience for such crap is running thin.

...No answer.

"3."

Nothing.

"2."

Still nothing.

"1."

Suddenly, the door swings open and I walk in. The first thing I notice after throwing Zack a glare are the two twin beds. Zack lounges on one and fixes his stony gaze on me.  
"What the hell was that? Why didn't you let me in?"

"No space."

I supressed a twitching eyebrow.  
"There are _two_ beds!"

Zack wordlessly walks over to the other bed and pulls back the blankets. Tucked inside the bed are both of his dischargers.

"Not cool, man! Not cool."

I go to remove the weapons.  
"What are you doing?"

"This is my bed."

"But then where will they sleep?"

I bite back a strongly worded retort and just look at him. Finally, he sighs and collects his dischargers.

I lie back on the bed, secretly cast a self heal and, as soon as my head hits the pillow, I'm asleep.


	4. Day 4: Arrival at Illumia

I'm rudely awoken by boisterous yells. As I blink my eyes open, I see the pango planted on Zack's face.  
"What's going on?"

Zack leaps off the bed, continuing his scolding, and the pango scurries under the pillow.  
"I think you scared him."

"Get out of there!"  
He snatches the pillow to reveal the pango contently blobbing over his dischargers. The pangos eyes are slitted shut and he wears a silly grin.

"Don't even think about it!"  
Zack scoops up his dischargers and forcefully gives them a shake. The pangos eyes snap open as he wobbles in the air, clinging on for dear life.

"Poi!"  
That sounded strangely defiant.

Zack doesn't cease his shaking, and somehow the pango seems to hanging on.

"P-Poi!"  
His small body jiggles up and down until he finally bounces to the floor.

"Poi poi!"  
He glares daggers at Zack, who is too busy inspecting his dischargers to notice.

There's a sharp knock at the door.  
Too tired to care what's going on right now, I shuffle to the door and open it a crack.

"I heard yelling. Is everything o-"  
She cuts off mid-sentence and her eyes grow wide.  
I look behind me to see Zack dangling his dischargers high in the air while the pango leaps up to reach it.

"These aren't for you to absorb!"

"Poi!"

"Uh..."  
There's only so much I can handle. This is just too silly.

"...I'll just wait for you guys downstairs..."  
Her tone indicates that she shares my opinion.

Before I can answer, she turns around and walks away.  
I can't blame her for that. I close the door and start getting dressed.

A long while later, I emerge from the room with the pango sitting on my head. Zack has his dischargers back in their holsters and shoulders his pack.  
We head downstairs and meet Leanna who is sitting at one of the tables.

"Is everyone ready?"

Fully healed I'd say...  
"Yup."

"Yeah, as long as that thing doesn't come near my dischargers again."

"Poi poi."  
The pango sticks out his tounge.

Leanna speaks before the two of them can start again.  
"Alright! Then let's hit the road."

With one final nod, she leads the way out of the inn and back into town.

The rest of the journey towards Illumia is peaceful yet uneventful. The pango snoozes on my head for most of the way there.  
Leanna frequently sneaks a peak at him and smiles to herself. Zack keeps to himself and continues to be in the lead for 'fewest lines spoken'.

I am deep in thought as I analize the data I've got. Well, deep in one thought, since my good friend Oberon, the latest Barsen'thor of the Jedi Coucil, tought me how to follow two different thoughts at the same time.  
Anyway, this shadow magic is basically power of the dark side, just used differently. Altough there's another part to it, which I can't quite place… But since the Force always tries to hold the balance, shadow magic is so much stronger than a single elemental magic. So even if this is a primitive civilisation, their usage of the Force is no joke and I'm quite curious to learn these techniques myself.

By mid-day, I can see the stone buildings of Illumia. We make it through the city gates without incident.  
Unlike the quaint houses of Meadowhill Village, Illumia is built taller and grander, reminding me somewhat of the Spire. There's more noise as people fill the streets.

Zack stares down a sidestreet.  
"This is me."

I crane my neck and peer into an alcove.

"It's a shortcut to the inn."

Leanna nods.  
"Safe travels. Hopefully our paths will cross again."

"Good luck at the Mage Academy."

He heads into the alley.

"Do you think we will see him again?"

She shrugs.  
"Mercenaries have a way of just popping up. Let's keep moving. The Mage Academy is straight ahead, closer to the center of town."  
She points to a looming tower with a high steeple. As we get closer, I see that the tower is attached to a castle.  
It is about as grand as the Sith Academy, but less dread inducing.

"You studied here?"

"Yup."

"It definitely looks prestigious."

She notices my wonder.  
"What's your academy like?"

"The one I learned in? Hmm, where do I start?"  
I don't really have any fond memories of that place. Seing my dearest friend killed before me, being humiliated at every corner, death looming over me permanently...  
"It is about as grand, only not as liberal."

"What do you mean?"

"Hmm, imagine that everyone who shows capability in magic is constrained to go there by the goverment. Furthermore, the teaching methods are quite... destructive. There are many casualities."

"T-That sounds absolutely awful! How could someone do that?!"

"Well, it was. I don't know if it's still that bad, as I haven't been there for years. And it was just the way the Empire did things. That was just the way the Sith did things."

"Empire? Sith?"  
She looks confused. Understandable. Now is not the time nor the place for this conversation, however.

"The Sith Empire, not the nicest guys around and the realm where I was born."  
"Probably." I mutter  
"But I think this is neither the place nor the time for the rest of that conversation."

"I understand. We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."  
She gives me a commiserative smile.

"Thank you."  
I smile back.

"Anyway, how does it work in the Mage Academy?"

"Everyone here must learn magic and casting, but after that we are able to choose a discipline."

"Like becoming a Mage-Knight?"

"Yeah, that's right."  
Her pleasant smile is already back.

We begin making our way down the grand streets of Illumia.  
Once we arrive at the academy, Leanna pushes right through the wrought iron gates and leads me across the expansive quad.  
Students pass by in flocks, chatting animatedly. Each of them wears nearly identical long cloaks, differing only in colour.  
Leanna glances excitedly at a girl wearing a white cloak.

"Do you know her?"

"No, but we're in the same house!"

"What does that mean?"

"You can tell by her cloak. White means she's learning wind magic."

I pay more attention to the specific colours: there's white, red, blue and green.  
"I bet I can guess which colour represents what. Wind is white-"

Leanna nods. Red, the colour of passion for fire, blue like water and green like the flora.

"Red is fire, blue is water and green is earth."

She grins.  
"You got it."

We walk past an enclosed field. A young man sporting a green cloak holds a book in one hand, and with his other, aims his manipulator straight ahead of him.  
His mouth is pressed in concentration and beads of sweat line his forehead.  
After a few tense moments, the earth rumbles beneath him and dirt spikes shoot out of the ground! This may not be compareable to the Forcequake, but it could be useful in a battle. Well, at least, if I could get rid of this high cast time. It is impressive, regardless.

"Come on!"  
Leanna pulls on my arm, reverting my attention back to the task at hand.  
We enter the east wing of the castle and come into an open foyer.  
There are only a scattering of students wandering these halls, and most are accompanied by an adult wearing long black robes. I assume they must be the Inquisitors, or however they may be called here.  
Leanna scans each Inquisitor we pass, as if looking for someone specific.  
She leads me up a winding staircase, then grins when she spots an older man with greying hair. His robes are pleated with white stripes and he carries a staff in one hand.

"Professor Oran!"

So they're called professors, huh? Gotta remember that.  
He, however, turns at the sound of his name and matches Leanna's grin.

"Leanna! One of my best and brightest. What a pleasant suprise."

She smiles bashfully at the compliment.  
"It's great to see you again."

"What brings you to the academy?"

"Actually, I'm here on official business. I'm sure you've heard of the random concentrations of magical energy by now."

He nods.

"Well, I've found someone who was directly impacted."

She gestures to me.  
I shift to stand more straight as his gaze falls on me. Although he looks intently at me, I can sense his curiosity.

"What exactly do you mean by 'impacted'?"

"I was investigating a report of unusual magic energy readings in Meadowhill, and it turns out the concentrated energy originated from him!"

Professor Oran raises a skeptical eyebrow.  
"That level of energy would tear a human apart from the inside. Are you sure you weren't mistaken?"

I supress a chuckle. I am no ordinary human, not anymore.

"My manipulator read the energy level."

"Hmm."

"Maybe we can use the academy's equipment to scan him again?"

"Yes, let's do that."

He motions for us to follow him, then turns down the hallway.  
We arrive at a spacious room.  
There's a large device on one end of the room which is seperated by a wall of glass.  
The device has two panels on the side which stretch about eight feet off the ground.  
On the other side of the room are a handful of students and professors.  
They constantly focus their manipulators in what I assume to be magical tests and every so often jot down notes.  
A couple of pangos openly roam about the room, mostly ignored by the people.  
If one wanders a little too close to a crystal, a student chases it away. Otherwise, they leave each other be.

"I thought you said pangos weren't really welcomed in society?"

Leanna looks fondly around the room, a reminiscent smile on her face.  
"They aren't, but mages tend to like them. Pangos absorb residue energy on the mage from casting which is suprisingly nice. Kind of feels like a gentle massage."

Professor Oran gives her a soft nudge.  
"Go ahead."

She nods, and turns to me.  
"We're going to take another scan of you now."

"You're talking about that huge thing behind the glass, right?"

"Yeah. It looks intimidating but it functions in the same way as my manipulator."

"Alright."

One of the students leads me to the device and has me stand between the two panels. There's a crystal mounted on top of each panel.  
As he closes the glass door, the quiet mumbling of voices is muted into silence.  
A beam of light emits between the the crystals and slowly descends towards my head, passing through my torso, and disappearing at my feet.  
Once the light is gone, the same student lets me back into the room.  
Professor Oran looks grave, while Leanna's mouth is pressed into a firm frown.

"This can't be right. Maybe we should scan him again."

"Leanna, the levels that you have reported would have killed this young man."

"Even so, how is it possible that this scan shows he has _zero_ magical energy?"

Well, I _do_ restrain and hide my presence in the force, but I do that always. People tend to get uncomfortable when I let my power flow uncontrolled.  
She holds out her manipulator. Just as when we'd first met, a pale light glows. Unlike our initial meeting, as she holds her manipulator closer to me, the light remains unchanged.  
Leanna's face falls. Professor Oran puts a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Had he just casted? Perhaps it was magical residue which you had read. As you know, that tends to slowly leave the body after each magic use."

She shakes her head.  
"It was too high a reading to just be residue."

I decide to step in.  
"The last time Leanna scanned me like that the light pulsed so much it became flat-lined."

Professor Oran seems intrigued.  
"Then perhaps it was a faulty reading from your manipulator."

"Perhaps..."  
I can hear the skepticism in her voice.

"It seemed to be working fine before."

Leanna shakes her head if asking me not to continue.

"I should get back to my students, but I hope I get to see you again."

Professor Oran gives Leanna's shoulder one last comforting squeeze before he leaves.  
While our discussion had taken place, I noticed the pangos would watch me with interest. A green one starts to gravitate towards us.  
It seems to be heading towards me. Intriguing.

"Poi?"

I look down and see my wobbly blue friend at my feet.

"Hey, you're back."

"Poi!"

He bounces on the ground and fixes me with his wide smile.  
Suddenly, he stops and stares at the green pango who blinks back at him. He hops towards it and grins.

"Poi... poi poi?"

"Poi!"

My pango's eyes widen.

"Poi?!"

"Poi poi!"

The green pango grins and hops away and my pango follows it.  
I have no idea what just happened, but why do I feel all warm and fuzzy inside?  
As the pangos run off, a professor in a wheelchair rolls towards us.  
Although he's lost all of his hair, he doesn't seem as old as some of the others.

"Leanna."

His voice is kind and gentle, and she doesn't bother containing her suprise.

"Professor Exavier!"

He smiles at Leanna.  
"It's always nice to see a familiar face."

He sure is right. After Lana pulled me out of that carbonite, I was glad to have at least one familiar face around me.  
Then he turns his attention the me.

"It's nice to meet you, sir."

"You as well."

"Professor, is there something I can help you with?"

"Leanna, how high was your original energy reading?"

"In the thousands."

He creases his brow and ponders quietly.

"Tell me, are you familiar with the theory of temporal rifts?"

Temporal rifts? Nope, never heard of it.  
Leanna and I both shake our heads.

"In the most basic sense, a temporal rift occurs when the fabric of the universe is torn. In the midst of this tear, there is a moment where the parallel worlds overlap."

Leanna and I glance sharply at each other.  
If I found myself in another dimension altogether...

"Would it be possible to cross between these worlds?"

"It may be in theory, but it'd be very difficult. After all, that type of travel between worlds would require an immense amount of energy! An amount that no human would be able to manipulate and survive. That's why most elders have dismissed this idea as nonsense. But listening to all that's been said today, it coincides quite closely with this theory..."

Hmm... If the high amount of energy was already present for a few days in Meadowhill, it rules out that my attempt at the ritual for interplanetary travel caused this.  
So what may be the reason for this temporal rift? What, or who caused it? I am quite intrigued.

"What more can you share about this theory?"

"Well, not much, I'm afraid. As I said, most consider it to be either nonsense or too inconsequential to waste their time on. Although there is one man who spent his life developing and researching this theory. He used to be an instructor at this academy."

"Is he still in Illumia?"  
Leanna decides to chime in.

"Unfortunately, he left many years ago in search of Embermyst."

Leanna purses her lips.  
"The hidden city."

He nods.

Considering my current scouting equipment, or lack thereof...  
"If it's hidden, I'm guessing it will be hard to find..."

Before he can respond, a student with two long pink pigtails strides over.  
"Please allow me to accompany you on your quest."

Her voice is calm and even, yet quite feminine.  
Yet professor Exavier replies sternly.  
"Absolutely not."

"Could you elaborate on your disapproval? This is an excellent opportunity to further my research and education."

"This is not a Mage Academy sponsored expedition so there won't be mages around to protect you. It's a dangerous journey, especially given the fact that no one knows the location of Embermyst."

The girl stays silent, and I can practically see the cogs in her head spinning as she contemplates his words. Finally, she nods.  
"Understood."

As soon as she finishes speaking, she turns on her heel and walks away.

"Uh, what just happened?"

"Pay her no mind. That's just how she is."

"Who is she?"

Leanna chimes in again.  
"That's Amelia Estelle, the university's prodigy. She's only a teenager but already a Mage-Caster, which means she can manipulate two different elements at the same time."

I flash her a grateful smile for automatically explaining what a Mage-Caster is.  
"I'm guessing Mage-Casters are usually a little older than a teen?"

Leanna grins.  
"Just a little. Mage-Casters are usually in their forties."

She must really be something special then. I can imagine the other Mage-Casters aren't so fond of her, though. To see someone less than half your age achieve the same as you can feel humiliating.

"Anyway, thank you for all of your help, professor."

"I'm sorry I wasn't able to be more helpful, but I wish you the best of luck on your journey."

After saying goodbye, his wheelchair moves on its own and pushes him out of the room.

"Did he use wind magic to move his wheelchair?"

"Yeah, how did you notice?"

Besides the fact I could feel a signature of the power similar to Leanna's own, ...  
"Well, wheelchairs usually don't move on their own, meaning he had to use magic. And any other magic would've been even more obvious."

Leanna smiles at me and nods.

"As a saying goes: Even the lack of poofs can be a proof. Or something like that."

"Sounds interesting. Do you have any other examples?"

"Hmm, none I can think of out of the blue."

Anyhow, the more I see magic in use in this world, the more I want to learn to harness this power as well. If I come back with mastery of one, or even all elements of magic, ...

"It's alright. But what did you think of everything the professor said?"

"It sounds exactly like what happened to me. We should find this Embermyst city and talk to the professor there."

She nods.  
"Unfortunately, no one knows how to get there... Let's stop by the inn. Since it's a hub for travelers from all over, there's bound to be someone who knows something."

I may have a talent for finding hidden things and places, but even I need a direction to look for.  
"That sounds like our best course of action."

Once agreed, Leanna leads the way out of the academy.

I follow her through the twisting roads of Illumia.  
When asked why we're taking so many turns, she said she wanted to avoid the marketplace, which would be so crowded with people we wouldn't be able to walk through.

Soon, we reach the inn. The place is a lot larger than any other inn we've stayed at so far.  
Along with the smoothly crafted dining tables, there's a fireplace along the far wall with labeled chars on the mantle.  
The place is fairly busy for this time of day and only a couple of tables are open.  
Per usual, Leanna speaks with the innkeeper. I see him point towards a couple by the fireplace.  
When she returns, she drops a key in my hand.

"Here's the key to your room. I figured we're going to be spending the night here."

I nod as I pocket my key.

"The innkeeper doesn't know how to get to Embermyst, but he says that, that couple over there comes from the far desert. They might know."

"Maybe we should split up. We can cover more ground that way."

"Good idea. I'll go talk to that couple first."

"Okay."

As Leanna walks away, I survey the room.

I approach a table of misfits. These guys look like they're well-traveled.  
There's a tall, bulky man wearing fur boots and a loincloth and very little else. His muscles ripple as he takes a swig from his tankard.  
Beside him is a short and stout bearded man. Gold is entwined in his braided beard and a scar runs from his balded head down to his cheek.  
The last member of their party is a lithe, blond, elegant man. A bow is slung on his back and his glossy hair spills around it.

"Hello there."

The blond man grins, while the other two peer at me.  
"Well, aren't you a tall, refreshing drink of water. I'm Randall, but you can call me 'Randy'.

He winks.

Yeah, no. No further conversation will be worth my time.  
"Actually, I'm sorry for bothering you."  
I hurry away from their table and survey the room again.

Hm, the loner types usually travel the world, don't they?  
I approach the man sitting alone in the far corner of the inn. His head is down as he nurses a tankard. Once I get close, I recognise him.  
"Zack?"

His head shoots up and he stares at me with those familiar, stoic eyes.  
"Oh, it's you."

"You finished whatever it is you came here to do?"

"Yup."

"Cool..."

He's still as talkactive as ever.

"You finish up ath the academy?"

"Yes. It was... interesting."

"Mages usually are."

"One of them told me of the city of Embermyst."

Zack snorts.  
"Sending you on a wild goose chase, huh?"

"I guess that means you don't know where it is either?"

"Nope."

Well, it was worth a shot.  
"Alright, well, it was good seing you."

He nods.

Looks like I'm not having much luck. I wonder how Leanna is doing...  
Judging from her cute pout, she had about as much success as I did. We make our way back to the bar.

"Greetings."  
Amelia waits for us by the bar. I noticed her presence, but Leanna seems startled.

She recovers fast, though.  
"What are you doing here?"

"I've come to accompany you on your journey."

"Professor Exavier made it very clear that you were to stay at the academy."

"His logic is rational, but my presence and assistance is far more beneficial for you than it is for me to remain at the academy."

"What assistance?"

"I am aware of the location of Embermyst."

"How is that possible?"  
Leanna seems like she doesn't believe her just yet. I can sense the truth in her words, though.

"How I know is irrelevant."

"Alright, when you know, then tell us where it is."

"I will gladly impart this knowledge with you should you accept me as your travel companion."

"But the academy won't let you go."  
A valid argument Leanna, if you were to follow the rules.

Amelia shrugs.  
"If I cannot go, then I suppose neither can you."

Leanna bites her lip. I can tell she's torn. Amelia knows how to make the best out of her options and how to present a deal.

"We should let her join."

"We shouldn't go against a direct order of the Mage Academy."

Personally, I couldn't care less. Leanna does care, however.  
"What other choice do we have?"

She frowns.

"Nobody at this inn knows the location. I doubt we'll find anyone else who can tell us how to get there. Are you really willing to give up this lead?"

Leanna runs her hand through her hair as she thinks. She steals glances at Amelia who watches us with hawk eyes.  
Finally, Leanna's expression softens and she nods.  
"Fine, you can come with us, but only on the condition that you let us bring extra protection."

"That is a logical conclusion. I am not opposed to it."

"Alright, I'll see if I can find some mages last minute."

"No!"

Both Leanna and I stare at Amelia. That outburst was unexpected.

"Mages will alert the academy of our proposal."

I continue that thought.  
"And then they wouldn't let us go."

"Correct."

"I suppose that makes sense..."  
Leanna taps a finger to her chin.  
"I guess the only other option is to hire a mercenary."

I grin.  
"I have just the person in mind."

I lead the two of them to where Zack is sitting.

Leanna greets him.  
"Hey, Zack."

He looks up from his tankard. If he's suprised, he doesn't show it.  
"I didn't expect to see you so soon."

"We were feeling a little bit of seperation anxiety."

To my suprise, Zack cracks a smile at my joke.

"I'm actually here to do business."

Zack cocks his head slightly.  
"You have my attention."

"We need protection for our newest companion."

She nods towards Amelia, who merely stares at Zack. He gives her a once over.  
"Isn't she a mage?"

"Yes, but a student."

"That is not an accurate description. I am-"

Leanna glares at her.  
"A student."

Amelia either didn't notice or purposefully ignores Leanna's voice, which promises hell.  
"While not untrue, I have fulfilled the necessary curriculum to be considered-"

"Amelia!"

Hm, I thought she would say 'a student' again, but Leanna is clearly exacerbated. Amelia cocks her head to the side and studies Leanna curiously.  
Guess I have to stop this.  
"Anyway. What we're trying to ask is if you are for hire and will you accept this job?"

Zack pauses and takes a long swig from his drink. He looks from me, to Leanna, to Amelia, then pauses again.  
Finally, he nods.  
"Alright."

"Really? That's great! We're headed to Embermyst."

Zack raises an eyebrow at me.  
"You found someone who knows the way."

"Yup."  
I point to Amelia.

"Interesting."

"Alright, now that we have our team, what do we do now?"

"There's no point in beginning our journey when the sun is almost gone."

"That's true."

"I should return to the academy before my disappearance is observed."

"Good idea. We can reconvene here tomorrow morning."

The three of us leave Zack alone and Amelia heads out of the inn.  
Just as she leaves, a group of young adults burst in.  
They laugh loudly and their cheeks are flushed as if from dancing or running. A circle of flowers is on each of their heads.  
Leanna gasps.  
"Oh, the festival!"

"Festival?"  
The heck is a festival?

"Ya, it's a celebration of the spring equinox. Do you want to go check it out?"

So it's like a parade or somehting? Count me in.  
"Sounds fun."

Leanna grins.  
"It is. It's one of my favourite festivals."

We exit the inn. Although the single moon of this world has traded places in the sky with the sun, streets are still brustling with people.  
Leanna and I follow the crowd until we reach town square.  
Coloured strings of crystal lights hang from the large trees with pink blossoms lining the perimeter of the square. Their lights spill soft rainbows on the smiling faces of the townsfolk.  
The heavenly aroma of spices and grilled meat entices me towards the festivities. A simple stand is set up on one side of the square where musicians play a jaunty tune.  
They tap their feet in time to the beat as dancers whirl around the center of the square.  
As we pass through the square, giggling girls offer circlets of flowers. Leanna happily accepts hers and lets the girl place it on her head.

Then she speaks up.  
"It's so beautiful! Everything looks so different."

Her eyes sparkle and she taps her feet to the rhythm of the music as she watches the pairs of dancers jumping and twirling.  
For the first time since we met, Leanna's face holds no trace of caution. My eyes are drawn to her as her smile lights up her eintire face.  
She turns toward me and I look her in the eyes, curiously raising a brow.

"Would you... like to dance?"

Yes, yes I would.  
"Sure, but I've never danced like that before."

I'm glad I learned to dance for that one sith party I had to attend with Zash after I killed Darth Skotia.

"Oh? How do you normally dance?"  
Her eyes glitter as she waits expectantly.

"Well, I need a partner."

"Okay!"  
No hesistation at all.

Leanna holds out her hands. In one smooth motion I grab her hand and spin her into me.

"Oh!"

I flash her a winning smile, as I gently dip her. Her cheeks flush as I bring her back up.

"T-that's actually really nice. Let me show you how we do it here!"  
She takes my hands in hers and pulls me to a more secluded area on the dance floor.

"For this song, we're going to raise our right hands up so they touch."

She bends her elbow and holds up her arm to eye level. Then she moves my arm so it matches hers. I can feel the warmth of her fingers as they brush my own.

"Our hands will stay here and then we will use our right foot to step to the right, then left foot back, and we'll shift our weight front and back in a ball-change."

As she speaks, she demonstrates the steps.

"Then we do the same thing on the left: left foot left, right foot back and ball-change. Then we step to the right and spin from behind. Come on, try it with me!"

"Alright."

We get into position and Leanna counts off.

"Five, six, seven, eight."

Matching Leanna, I step with my right foot.

"That's it!"

Then I step with my left foot to the back and do a ball-change.  
Next we do the same thing on the left side. Then we step with our right foot and spin.  
I step to the right and spin from behind. Leanna and I are a step apart.

"Uh, did we do this right? Are we supposed to be this far apart?"

"Yeah! Normally, we'd be facing our new partners and we do the whole thing over again starting with our left foot. And once that's done, we'll be facing each other again."

Even though I'm not that thrilled on the prospect of dancing with someone else, we go through the steps another time and I manage to dance it perfectly.

"Wow, you're a natural! Are you sure you've never done this before?"

Her warm grin is infectious and I find myself grinning just as broadly. Something I haven't done since... I don't think I ever grinned so broadly.

"It's because I had such a great teacher."

Her cheeks flush and as she's about to reply, our gazes meet.  
Leanna's breath catches in her throat and she seems to forget what she was about to say. For a second, I forget about the crowds of people all around us; all I can see is her.  
I'm about to lean in a little as someone jostles us and she quickly looks away. I would like to roast that person who interrupted us...  
I catch her glancing at me and she smiles shyly.

"So, um, do you think you're ready to join the rest of the dancers?"

I'd rather stay here with her, but I don't want to embarrass her even further.  
"I'm game if you are."  
I hold out my hand, and she accepts it with that same coy smile. Then I lead her out to the dance floor.

We dance late into the night, until our feet ache and our throats grow hoarse from laughing.  
The party is still going strong as Leanna and I return to the inn and head into our seperate rooms.  
I haven't had that much fun, without conquering or killing anything, ever!  
As I fall into my bed, I enter a dreamland with an immense smile on my face.


	5. Days 5 & 6: Next stop, Bazada

The next morning, we regroup downstairs at the inn as planned.

"Is everyone now prepared to begin our journey?"

We nod. Good morning to you, too, Amelia.

"Then let us depart."

She leads the way out of the inn and back into the quiet city. Remnants of last night's festival litter the ground in a series of petals and general debris.  
The clean-up detail is hard at work. They wear thick gloves as they half-heartedly remove the decorations and debris.  
I wonder how long they've been working on this.  
The festivities continued even after I threw in my hat and went to bed.  
Leanna and I share a glance and she smiles.  
We follow Amelia through the twists and turns of the city.

"Where exactly are we going now?"  
I like to know where I'm headed.

"To the crystalrail station."

Crystalrail? Sounds like it might be a transport system like the Corellian Rocket Tram. Leanna speaks up before I even ask.

"Where are we taking the crystalrail to?"

"Bazada."

She looks up in suprise.  
"Embermyst is in Bazada?"

"They say you can find anything there."

She shoots Zack a look which he returns with his usual stony gaze.

"What's so suprising about Bazada?"

"It's just closer than I expected."

"No, Embermyst is not within Bazada, but Bazada is the closest station to the location of Embermyst."

Leanna still seems skeptical but doesn't push it. I guess we'll find out whether or not Amelia is right.  
We continue the rest of the way in silence. After a few minutes, we arrive at the station.  
The setup is a more complex version of the Rocket Tram, not automated at all. The ticket booth is right across from the entrance.  
While they sort out retrieving tickets, I look around. Vendors selling food and trinkets line the perimeter of the enclosed space.  
The building is mostly empty at this time of morning.

"We must hurry if we wish to catch the next crystalrail. It is nearing the platform."

Once we get our tickets, we rush down a back hallway which opens up to the platform.  
Arriving on the platform is a sleek bullet train, porcelain white with windows dotting the sides. Just like the Rocket Tram, it hovers above the ground.  
A pair of long crystal rows run along the bottom of the train with identical crystal rows lining the track.  
I cross my arms.  
Obviously the crystals below have to do with keeping the train up, but otherwise I bet it's just like the Tram.  
Leanna glances back at me and fails to hide her giggle.

"What is it?"

"Nothing, it's just you two are making the same face right now."

I glance over at Zack who looks back at me. We both have our arms crossed and an unimpressed look on our faces.  
Zack nods at me, which I return. He gets it.

"Poooi..."  
The pango eyes the crystals on the train, his mouth open in anticipation. Leanna notices and snatches him up.

"Poi!"  
He wriggles at first, but after she gives him a few pats on the head he calms down and grins at her.  
We are about to board the train when the attendant stops us.

"Sorry, pangos are not allowed due to equipment which is sensitive to energy absorbtion."

"Oh..."  
Leanna looks sadly at the blue glob in her arms.  
"I'm sorry, my friend, but I think this is where we say goodbye."

He blinks back at her in confusion, a worried smile on his face.  
"Poi?"

Leanna's lip trembles.  
"I'm sorry!"

She gives him a final hug and sets him down on the ground. Then with glassy eyes full of tears, she rushes into the train. The pango blinks.  
"Poi poi?"

Amelia cocks her head to the side and looks at it. The pango mimics her.  
"Poi!"

"I have not known you long, but I will be saddened to see you go."  
She nods and then hops onto the train.

Zack looks at the pango and instinctively his hand protects his guns.  
"Try not to eat anyone else's weapon."

"Poi poi?"  
The pango blinks at Zack's retrating form.

Finally, it's my turn.  
He blinks and grins.

"Poi poi!"

"I didn't expect this to be so difficult."

He cocks his head to the side and tries again.  
"Poi poi?"

"I'm sorry little friend, but this is as far as we can go together."

"Poi?"

He tries to hop onto my shoulder like he has done so many times in the past few days, but I don't let him.

"I'm sorry, but you have to stay here."

"P-poi?"

I quickly turn around and head onto the train...  
While other people board the train, I join the rest of my group. Leanna tries to control her sniffles while Amelia looks down at her feet.  
Zack acts as casual as always, but the nod he gives me feels lackluster. We're all feeling the loss of the pango.  
He was my first friend when I came to this world...

After we've had a moment to compose ourselves, we search for our train cabin.  
We pass through a few cars before we finally find our cabin towards the end of the train.

Amelia slides open the door, then shuts it immediately.  
"Impossible!"

"What's going on?"

She opens the door and we all peer inside. Inside the cozy cabin are red plush seats, a rack above the seats to hold the luggage, and a rectangular table in the center.  
There is also a pango bouncing happily on the seats.

"Poi poi!"

"Pango!"

Leanna squels excitedly and scoops him back up into a big hug. We all file into the cabin after her and shut the door before anyone notices the pango.  
When Leanna notices our stares, she clears her throat and sets him back down.  
"But, how did you get in here?"

"Seriously. Weren't you just outside a second ago? How'd you get in here and find our cabin before we did?"  
Most intriguing.

"Poi!"

"Impossible..."

"I think the pango broke Amelia."

Zack, as unfazed as always, plops down into one of the seats and leans back.  
"Some things just can't be explained."

And that is where you are mistaken, my friend. There is an explanation for _everything_. We just have to find it.  
However, with how often the pango seems to disappear and reappear unexpectedly, you'd think we'd be used to it by now.

I take a seat as well and the pango hops into my lap. Leanna pouts as the pango moves away from her.  
Amelia seems to have recomposed herself and also takes a seat.

Not much later, I feel the jerk of the train departing and hear the calming hum of the engine. Both Leanna and Amelia stare out the window.  
Zack has his head down and his arms crossed. I think he may be asleep but it's hard to tell.  
Remembering how I found him at the campsite, I can only assume this guy can literally sleep anywhere.

My eyes feel droopy too.  
I really went all out last night and did not get enough sleep. I doubt anyone will mind if I just caught up on a few of those hours...

When I awaken, everyone else is awake too and looking more bored then ever. Only the pango snoozes in my lap.  
"How long was I asleep for?"

Leanna glances at me.  
"Just a few hours."

"Are we almost there?"

"No. We will not arrive before tomorrow."  
Amelia decides to chime in.

"Tomorrow?!"  
How slow is this train please?

"Yes."

What am I going to do with all this spare time? I put my hands in the sleeves of the other arm each and close my eyes, starting to meditate.  
Only a moment later I come to the realisation that this method will only work for me, not curing the others of their boredom.  
I open my eyes again and reach into my pocket, pull out a deck of sabacc cards and lay them out on the table.

Leanna cranes her neck to see better.  
"What do you have there?"

"My cards."  
I cut the deck and shuffle them. By no means I'm a pro, but Nico and Gault thought me some tricks.

"Want to play something? There's enough people that we can play 'Cheat'.  
I don't have a sabacc table with me, so we have to do with something else. I do put away the sixteen special cards, however.

"How do you play that?"

"It's easy. Each round you will put a card from your hand face down on the center of the table and say what card it is. Like this."  
I put one down as an example.  
"One Master.  
Then anyone at the table can decide whether or not I'm telling the truth. If you think I'm lying, you call out 'cheater!' and I'll have to reveal the card. If I was lying, then I take all the cards on the pile. If I was telling the truth, then whoever accused me takes all the cards and the next person starts a new round.  
You win by having no cards on your hand."

"Sounds like fun. I'll play."  
Alright, Leanna's in.

Amelia looks thoughtful.  
"Although I have not partaken in this game before, this sounds like it would be a stimulating challange."

I glance at Zack.

"You in?"

He shakes his head.  
"I'll pass."

Leanna frowns.  
"Why not? I know that mercenaries love card games and it's not like there's much else to do while we wait."

"It's just not my type of game."

As a mercenary, I think I know what can spark his interest...  
"What if we play for money?"

Zack sits up and looks at me.  
"I thought you didn't have money."

"I do have money..."  
I fish in my pockets and drop some credit ingots on the table.  
"...It's just not usuable here."

Amelia leans in close and peers at the credits. Even Leanna takes an interested glance.  
"I fail to recognise this type of currency."

"Well, I'm not exactly from Esaria."

Amelia stares intendly at me again. After a long pause she looks back at the ingots.  
"I see."

I point out the different types of ingots I have.  
"Make sure you get the smaller ones. They're the most valuable."

"Are these not made from copper?"

"Uhm, basically."

"And the silver ones from silver or nickel?"

"Nickel, I think."

"Then suffice to say, shouldn't the silver ingot be more valuable than the dark one?"

Well, she got me.

Zack leans back into his seat.  
"If it's not money I can use, then I'm not interested."

"Zack-"

Leanna was about to say something but Amelia interrupts.  
"I will pay you for his ingots."

Zack sits back up.  
"Go on..."

"For any ingot of his you receive, I will trade you one of our coins."

"Amelia, you really don't have to do that."

I think Leanna doesn't understand Amelia's purpose behind this offer. She found a scientific interest in my credits, and wants to study them. Probably.

"I know."

Leanna looks uneasily between Zack and Amelia. I think she still views Amelia as a child, but her intellect is sharper than of some high ranking officers or Sith I knew.

"Alright, deal."

As Zack settles in, I deal out the cards. Zack frowns when he looks at his hand.  
"These cards are strange..."

"Like I said, I'm not from Esaria."  
I give a brief rundown of the suites and face cards. When I look back up, I see Amelia staring at me. This is getting a little uncomfortable. I think she's about to figure out my circumstances.

"Let's start the bet."

We all throw our stakes on the table.

"I'll go first."  
I drop a card face down on the table.  
"One 10."

Silence. No one reacts.  
"Okay Leanna, it's your go."

"Okay..."  
She slides a card on the table, her face completely blank.  
"One 2."

I can feel the truth behind her statement. Nobody else calls her out either.

"Amelia's go."

Her face even more stoic than Leanna's, Amelia places a card onto the table.  
"One Mistress."  
Her face is unreadable, but I can sense the truth. Again, no one calls her out.

Maybe they aren't quite understanding how to play... although I guess it is just the first round.

Finally, it's Zack's go.  
In usual Zack fashion, he stoically slips a card down.  
"Two 8's."

I was about to call him out but Amelia was faster.  
"Cheater."

Without breaking from his poker face, he flips over the card to reveal different cards than 8's. Silently, he collects the pile.

We count how many cards each person has in their hands and split the first round of bets between Amelia, Leanna and I.  
Then we throw in our next round of bets.

"Okay, me again."  
Better stay with truth.  
Heh, maybe I should mess with them a little. I purposely let it slip on my face that I might be lying. A Sith has to be in control of everything about oneself, after all. So a play with my mimic is nothing to me.  
"Two 3's"

Leanna calls me out.  
"Cheater!"

I flip over my cards to reveal two 3's.

"You tricked me."

I grin as she grabs the cards.

Leanna looks slightly worried at her hand then smoothes her face.  
"Two aces."

She uses my own strategy as well, now. A nice try, but I can see through it.

"Cheater."  
Zack fell for it.  
Leanna grins as she flips over two aces. Zack wordlessly collects the cards.

Called it. I have to give a comment, though.  
"Using my own strategy as well... you learn fast, Leanna."

"It was too good to resist."

Amelia puts down her cards.  
"Two 7's."

Her sabacc face is superb, but I still can sense the truth so I stay silent. Nobody else calls her out.

Without delay, Zack lays down his cards.  
"Two 5's."

Before anyone has a chance to react, Amelia calls out, beating me again to it.  
"Cheater."

Zack grumbles under his breath as he collects the pile.  
Amelia looks smug at Zack's disgruntledness.  
The bet for this round get's split between Amelia and me and we start a new pot. The two of us are even thus far.  
Back to me again.  
Going to stick with what I do best.  
Because this strategy worked so well last time, let's try it again. I purposely let it slip on my face that I might be lying.  
"One Master."

Nobody calls me out. It seems they learned from last round.

Leanna lays down her card, looking confident.  
"One Master."

Hm, that's the same card I put down just now. I bet she also has one. It feels like she's baiting someone to call her out.  
Nobody does that, though. They must think the same thing I do.

Amelia wears the same stony face and slips down a card.  
"One Commander."

This time I feel a sublte change in her very presence. She's lying.  
"Cheater."

Amelia wordlessly flips over her card to reveal a 10 of Coins. She slips it back into her hand and takes the pile.

Zack plays his card.  
"One 6."

Again, Amelia is faster than anyone else.  
"Cheater."

Zack growls in frustration.  
"How do you know every single time?"

Amelia just stares at him with her same blank stare, which frustrates Zack even more.

"This is the dumbest game ever!"  
He throws his cards down on the table and knocks over the coins before crossing his arms.  
Leanna jumps away from the table as Zack hits it, her eyes wide. I'm a little taken aback as well and jolt back, which wakes the pango. Only Amelia remains unfazed.

"Poi poi?"

"So, should we continue playing?"  
My position right now is too good to surrender without trying.

Zack turns to look sharply at me.  
"Of course!"

Zack picks up his cards back up. Leanna and I glance at each other and burst out laughing.  
At first Amelia looks at us in bewilderment, but our laughter is so contagious that she breaks a smile.

"Are we playing or what?"

We resume the game with smiles all around.  
The longer we played, the more into the game everyone became.  
Needless to say, Amelia correctly guessed Zack's cheats every single time, much to his ever growing frustration.  
In the end, I won the game with the first to run out of cards. At last I got some usable money. Repaying Leanna is my priority for it.

When we were tired of Cheat, I thought them a couple of other games we could play with just a deck of cards. It was late into the night when we all decided to turn in and go to sleep.

...

...

...

The sun shines brightly through the window and splashes on my face, forcing me awake.  
Leanna and Amelia are both already awake, but Zack still has his head down as if he's still asleep.  
I look outside and squint at the sky.  
"What time is it?"

"It's already past noon. We slept through the entire morning."

"We did?"

Leanna giggles at my alarm.  
"Normally, that would be a bad thing, but in this case it's okay. We're almost at Bazada."

I nod.

Zack gradually wakes up and we all make sure we have all of our things.

After another hour or two, the train stops and announces our arrival to Bazada.  
The sun hangs high in the sky as one by one we step off the train. As soon as I set foot in the city, I'm assaulted by the sound of voices.  
Makeshift stalls line the sides of roads and alleys as people pack the streets.  
Traders entice onlookers to view their wares and costumers haggle in heated shouting matches.  
Are we going to have to travel through that? I blanch at the thought of getting trapped amidst the sea of people.

"We have arrived in Bazada."  
Really, Amelia? I haven't noticed.

"So, this is the closest city to Embermyst, you said?"

"Yes."

Considering the bustle of this place, I find it a little hard to believe that the _hidden_ city is so close. No wonder Leanna seemed so suprised.

Amelia seems to read my thoughts.  
"Of course, close is a relative term. We must first traverse some rough terrain and pass through the forest before we find Embermyst."

She points towards the south where I can make out the tips of treetops, and then she glances up at the sky.  
"Considering only a few hours remain before nightfall, it may be in our best interest to spend the evening here in the city and depart in the morning."

Leanna nods.  
"Good thinking. This marketplace is so huge, people say you can literally buy your hearts desires here."

I doubt that statement is true in my case.  
"Is there something you're thinking of buying?"

"Nothing in particular, but I would like to check out the stalls. Traders from all over the world gather here to sell their wares."

"Poi!"

I glance down at my feet and watch the pango wiggle excitedly. He casts hungry looks into the crowd.

"Is there a lot of magic here? I haven't seen this guy so excited since he first tried to eat me."  
Personally, I can't feel anything out of the ordinary.

Amelia bends down and scrutinizes him. She pokes him with a finger and the pango giggles.  
"Poi poi!"

"I'm going to the inn. I'll meet up with you later."

Before any of us can react, Zack slips into the crowd. Well, that was to be expected. Eh, I'll ask anyway.  
"...Should we go after him?"

Amelia doesn't even blink at Zack's departure. She's too preoccupied with the pango. Leanna shakes her head.  
"No, but since Zack's left, I'm going to go too. Should we meet back up at the inn?"

"Sure."

She nods, and heads into the crowd.

The perfect opportunity to spend some time with Leanna. I head in the same direction I think she's gone and duck into the crowd, trying not to bump into too many people as I explore the marketplace.  
I've never seen a place this crowded before, not even Nar Shaddaa's Promenade. It doesn't feel like I'm walking as being pushed by everyone.  
Despite all the people, and my patience wearing thin already, I'm fascinated by the market stalls. Merchants sell all different types of merchandise, ranging from clay pottery to magic amulets.  
As I'm being pulled through the crowd, I see a glimpse of blonde hair and white armour. That must be Leanna!  
I wade through the crowd and see Leanna frozen in place.

I can't sense any imminent danger, so I make myself known.  
"Hey, Leanna."

She blinks at me.  
"Hey!"

And greets me with a bright smile.

"How's the marketplace so far?"

"Really interesting! There's a lot of cool stuff I haven't seen before…"

She seems distracted.  
"Do you smell that?"

I breathe in deeply.  
An overwhelming sweet smell wafts by on the breeze.  
"There's really no way I couldn't."

"I think it's coming from that stall over there. Come on!"

She darts back into the crowd and I quickly follow until we stop at a stall filled with delicate glass bottles.  
"Is this perfume?"

"Yes, welcome, welcome!"  
A man as tanned as me clad in silken robes ushers us closer to the stall. He selects a glass bottle filled with a pale pink liquid and offers it to Leanna.  
"A noble scent to match such a noble woman."

Leanna blushes and delicately sniffs the bottle. Her eyes widen in recognition.  
"Is that extract of Spirit Orchids?"

The man grins broadly and claps his hands together.  
"Yes, yes! Very rare, from the far Celestial Mountains."

"I never expected to find this perfume here…"

"What is it?"

Leanna offers me the bottle and I take a tentative whiff. It smells fruity, but not like anything I could recognize.  
"This is a flower?"

She nods.  
"The Spirit Orchid. It only grows in the deep forests on the Celestial Mountain range."

'Celestial Mountains'? Sounds like a place I'd like to visit sometimes. But...  
"Why is it called the Spirit Orchid?"

"The roots are a very pale white and when it grows it almost looks like it's floating in mid-air, like a spirit."

Interesting.  
"That's kind of neat."

She nods absentmindedly and continues to hold the bottle.

"Do you want to get it?"

Leanna quickly shakes her head.  
"Oh, sorry. It just reminds me of home. My grandmother used to wear this perfume whenever she left the house. When I was little, that meant taking me down to the market."

She smiles fondly at the memory, but her eyes hold a hint of sadness.  
"I loved wandering the shops and stalls. It didn't matter if I had nothing to buy. It was a chance to leave the house and be like everyone else."

"It sounds like you didn't get to go out much…"  
Given how she carries herself, it wouldn't be too far fetched to assume she is of noble offspring. Plus, if her grandmother used such a rare and expensive perfume regulary...

"It was complicated."

She doesn't offer up any more information and returns the bottle to a blank spot on the shelf.

Although she's been very helpful in helping me understand this world, Leanan doesn't seem to talk about her past much. Eh, can't blame her much on that one. I don't go out of my way telling my past to anyone either.  
I glance at her again. She looks pensively at the bottle, a small crease in her brow.

Suddenly, a new scent cuts through the floral parfumes. It smells sweet and yet spicy. It smells delicious!  
"Hey, Leanna, do you smell that?"

She jolts out of her thoughts and blinks.  
"Smell what?"

"I think it's coming from this stall over there!"  
I grin, and just as she did before, I dart back into the street.

"Hey, wait!"

We weave through the people before stopping in front of a stall filled with an assortment of baked goods. I breath in the heavenly sweetness of sugar and sigh contentedly.  
Leanna closes her eyes and inhales.  
"It smells so delicious!"

I browse the array of cookies and tiny cakes. Leanna gasps.  
"They have cinnamon parfaits? I love those!"

"What are those?"  
I have never heard of cinnamon before.

"They're cinnamon and vanilla custard layers with apricots."

"Hmm…"  
Still don't know anything more, but it somehow sounds appetizingly.

"What do you think looks good?"

"Actually, that cinnamon parfait you mentioned sounds really good."

"They are! And they're not super sweet either which is why I like them."

I fish in my pockets for my winnings of yesterday. It's not much, but it's a start.  
"Today's treats are on me."

Leanna looks amused.  
"Are you sure you want to use your life savings?"

I chuckle.  
"Don't worry. You've been very generous towards me ever since Meadowhill. This is the least I can do to repay you. I know it's not much, but please consider this as a token of my appreciation."

Leanna smiles bashfully.  
"Thank you."

I grin, then pay for a cinnamon parfait each for Leanna and myself.  
"Cheers."

I hold up my dessert and take a bite. As the sweetness melts on my tongue, I let out a contentend sigh.  
"This is even better than I imagined!"

Leanna giggles and lets out an equally happy sigh as she bites into her cinnamon parfait.  
"This is why I love markets."

I nod in agreement as we return to the streets.  
One of the guards in the marketplace notices Leanna's Mage Guild emblem and pulls her over to talk.  
"Sorry, I need to take this."

Since this looks like official business, I better leave them be.  
"We can catch up later, then?"

She smiles.  
"Okay."

I decide to seek out Amelia.

I stand by awkwardly while Amelia mutters to herself. She seems to be in the middle of something and doesn't notice my presence. That's not good, if I'd wish her harm she'd be dead...

"Hmm… male, adolescent, of the cerulean variant..."  
She holds out her bracelet. The pango blinks at it, then looks back at her.  
Amelia cocks her head to the side as she observes him.  
With Amelia's attention still on him, the pango scoots closer to the bracelet and looks at her again.  
"Go on."

He cautiously sniffs at the bracelet, then sticks a tongue out to lick the air. Afterwards, he grins widely at Amelia.  
"Poi?"

"Interesting… Normally, a cerulean pango would leap at even the slightest trace of magical residue-"

Amelia doesn't have a chance to finish as the pango leaps into her arms.  
"Poi poi!"

"Eep!"  
She fumbles the catch and pulls the pango closer to her chest to stabilize him.  
"What do you think you're…"

Her voice trails off as she looks down at the still smiling pango.  
"Poi?"

Amelia blinks as the caution melts away from her face. The corners of her mouth curl up in a smile and she squeezes the pango in a cuddle.  
"P-poi poi!"

The pango wheezes as he's squished against her chest.

It looks like they're having a moment. Maybe I should give them some space.  
I begin to step back when Amelia's gaze lands upon me.  
She lowers the pango.

"I was testing an analysis."

"I wasn't asking."

She clears her throat.  
"Regardless, I am going to the apothecary."

"Apothecary? Can't we just heal with magic?"

"Yes, there are mages who specialise in healing magic but they use earth magic which neither Leanna nor I possess. As such, we will need to purchase healing items to treat a wound."

"I see. That won't be necessary, however."

"What do you mean?"  
Amelia tilts her head slightly.

"I am capable of healing wounds with my abilities."

"I thought you were no mage?"

"I'm not. I'd rather call myself a sorcerer. I use a slightly different form of magic than you guys."

She looks sharply at me, observing me again.

"As I said, I'm not from around here."  
I should probably get myself a map of this world sometime.

"Why have you not told us before?"

"You haven't asked. Besides, I told Leanna that I'm a sorcerer when we met, she just hasn't pursued the matter further."

"I see…"

"And anyone has a secret or two they keep, no?"  
I wink as I smile at her.

"It would seem that way, yes. Alright, I will not pursue this matter, for now. But I am going to the apothecary regardless."

"Better be safe than sorry, huh? I get that. Would you like me to go along with you?"

"No, it would be faster if I go alone."

Before I even have a chance to react, she turns on her heels and walks away. I really do hope I haven't done something stupid just now…  
As she goes, the pango pops his face face over her shoulder and gazes longingly at me.  
"Poi poi…"

A single tear rolls down his cheek.

Why is he making such a face? He could literally leave at any minute and come back to me.

"Come back!"

He turns around and disappears from my view.  
That sneaky little pango!

What's next? Oh, right. Zack went straight to the inn in Illumia too… What's going on at all these inns? I'd like to know too!  
I rush into the street and look for any sign of the inn.  
Luckily, I manage to spot Zack in the crowd before he disappears back into the sea of people.  
Shoving my way down the street, I finally locate the inn just in time to see Zack.  
He stands in front of a large notice board filled with pinned papers.  
As I get closer, I can make out some of the flyers which include a portrait of a scowling face and a large monetary number.  
Is Zack checking out the available bounty contracts? Seems like the bounty system here is different from the Bounty Brokers Association. Maybe he's looking for a specific one.

I'm about to call out to him when a young blonde wearing a skintight suit of 'armour' flounces over to him.  
Twirling a lock of hair between her fingers, she seems to study the board.  
Every so often, she shoots pointed glances over at Zack, hoping to catch his eyes, but his attention never wavers from the board.  
Finally, she speaks.  
"Do you have a bounty on your heart?"

For the first time since her arrival, Zack looks at her. She grins devilishly.

"Because I'm looking to collect."

He refocuses on the board, and she frowns. For her second attempt, she bumps up her ample chest and touches his arm as she speaks in a sickly sweet voice.  
"So, are you a bounty hunter?"

Zack shrugs her arm off of him.  
"No."

"Then you must be a mercenary."

He doesn't answer. She seems to take that as sign of encouragement and her sultry smile returns. She leans in close to him and runs her fingers up his arm.  
"I've got a mission I could use some help with. Are you for hire?"

Again, Zack brushes her hands off of him and steps away from her.  
"No."

She seems a little taken aback but quickly recovers and slides closer to him.  
"Are you sure there isn't… _something_ I could offer to change your mind?"

"No."

She sighs before plastering that same smile and lets out a small laugh.  
"Geez, you're kind of dense."

I wonder who is, really.

"I was hoping to spend some intimate time with you. So, what do you say?"

Zack crosses his arms.  
"No thanks, but if I'm ever in need of your services then I'll go find you at the brothel."

Pff, I could feel that burn from here.

The woman's eyes grow wide like saucers. With a sharp huff, she tries to slap Zack who sidesteps out of the way.  
"Ugh!"

She let's out another huff before storming off.  
I move out of her way as stomps towards the exit. She did not look happy. Understandable, but her approach was kind of… direct.  
Well, that was something.  
I go stand beside Zack.  
"What was that about?"

He shrugs.  
"Who cares?"

I take a look at the wanted posters on the board. Most of these faces look like the generic weathered and scarred bandits I am familar with. The typical scum and scoundrels, just with different types of scars.

"Huh, is this what you had to take care of in Illumia?"

Zack fixes his expressionless eyes on me.

"When we first reached Illumia, the first thing you did was find the inn. And then when we came here you did the exact same thing."

He relaxes slightly and nods.  
"Just staying up to date with the news."

"Sounds like the life of a mercenary is pretty interesting."

"Something like that."

"Excuse me, are you a mercenary?"

As one, Zack and I turn to face another scantily dressed woman. This one has fiery red hair and a mischievous glint in her eye. Zack narrows his eyes.  
"Yes..."

"Are you sure you're not a rogue? Because you've just stolen my heart!"

Zack sighs and facepalms. Well, I think that was a better start than the last one. I still have a bad feeling about this, though…

Zack ends up shaking her off and searches for the innkeeper to buy a drink.

And I'm ready for a little bit of me time. I head into the crowds and apprecciate all the marketplace has to offer. I couldn't find a globe or world map, sadly. However, I bought this perfume for Leanna. The merchant luckily was fascinated by my ingots, it would have been quite expensive otherwise. I'll wait for the right time to give it to her...

After exploring the city, I meet up with the rest of the group back at the inn.  
Tensions are high as we eat in silence. I think everyone is a mixture of weariness and anxiety for the next leg of our journey. Even the pango is strangely silent and obedient.

Once we finish eating, we head upstairs to find our rooms. Upon finding her room, Leanna suddenly perks up.  
"Oh! Amelia, you and I will be sharing a room tonight."

Amelia speaks dismissively.  
"Naturally. That would be more appropriate than the alternative."

She pauses. Then she looks at Leanna with interest.  
"Are you insinuating that you would rather share a bedroom with them?"  
Amelia points to Zack and me.

"W-what? No! Of course not!"

"Oh, my mistake. Of course you could not have meant both of them. There aren't nearly enough beds. You must have meant him."  
Amelia points to me.

Leanna's face turns pink and she shakes her head.  
"Amelia, that's not true!

Judging by that reaction… -no, I shouldn't read too much into it. But maybe some day…

"If that is false, then why is your face red-"

"The point is, I'd obviously rather share a room with you."

Amelia blinks.  
"If that is the case, then why even bring it up?"

"Because I'm excited! It'll be nice to have some girl time."

Amelia studies Leanna, then nods.  
"I concur. Sharing a room has proven to strengthen bonds amidst peers and foster camaraderie."

"...You mean make friends?"

Her delicate and hopeful voice alone makes me want to hug her right now. I guess I've already fallen.

"Precisely."

Leanna grins and Amelia smiles back.

"Poi?"

We all glance down at the pango by our feet. Is it my imagination, or is he trying to ask us which room he is going to sleep in tonight?  
Amelia snatches him up in her arms.  
"The pango needs to spend the night with us tonight. We need him for science."

As Amelia slips into their bedroom, Leanna nods rapidly.  
"Yes, for science."  
Then follows Amelia into the room and slams the door shut.

There's a moment of silence as Zack and I stare at the closed door.

"Is it just me or did that seem unusally suspicious to you?"

"Definitely suspicious, but I'm not even sure why."  
Maybe it was their way of pronouncing 'science'.

Still baffled by what happened, Zack and I enter our room and get ready for bed.

Although the train was more comfortable than I thought, it couldn't compare to a real bed. As I snuggle into the blankets, I soon drift into a restful slumber.

* * *

A/n.: I'm sorry it took such a long time to get this chapter out. I don't want to bore you with details, so short story short is: I wanted to write the card game scene with pazaak but couldn't get my head around the rules. Then I tried it with sabacc and failed as well. After long and frustrating weeks I settled with the standard version.  
I'm glad for all of you who are interested, and I hope that the next chapter won't take that long.


	6. Day 7: Embermyst, Temples and Revelation

Zack and I awoken at dawn and silently go about preparing for the day.  
As I grab a few items off my bed, I look over at Zack who is fiddling with his gun. That guy sure gives his dischargers a lot of attention…

"Morning."

He glances up and nods.  
"I'm heading down. Meet me there when you're ready."

"Sure."

Zack shoulders his pack and leaves.  
This is probably the quitest morning I had here so far. A nice diversion, from time to time.  
I pack up the last of my things and follow Zack downstairs where I find him waiting alone.

"Where are Leanna and Amelia?"

He shrugs.  
"Still getting ready I guess."

"Hm, okay."

That's unusual. Leanna is generally the first one up.

We wait a couple more minutes before the girls finally show up, carrying the pango with them.  
Amelia smiles widely at the pango who grins back. Those two seem to be in a good mood! Leanna, on the other hand, looks... exhausted?

"Good morning."

Leanna smiles.  
"Morning."

"Poi!"  
The pango wobbles in Amelia's arms as she nods her greeting.

"We should move on so we don't lose any daylight."  
You can go overboard with your pragmatism, you know Zack?

He looks over to Amelia who runmages through her bag. Eventually, she pulls out a map. I glance at the carefully detailed mountains and rivers.  
Nothing goes over a good old fashioned expedition! … I suddendly miss Talos. He was usually the only one who shared my enthusiasm.

"We will proceed eastward, through the forests adjacent to Bazada. From there, we will travel northbound towards the Sinoa Mountains."  
Amelia's finger scrolls across the different locations.  
"Assuming there are no divergences in course, we should arrive in Embermyst by mid-day. Any inquiries?"

Amelia folds the map and glances at the rest of us. We all look at each other.

"Then let us begin our journey."

She leads the way out of the inn and through the streets of Bazada.  
Even this early in the morning, the marketplace is still bustling with people.  
Carefully traversing the streets and alleys, the crowd begins to thin as we reach the city boarders. Amelia consults her map, then continues out of the city.

Without the high cover of the stalls, I blink at the clear blue sky. In the distance, I can see the dark leafy cover of trees. That must be where we're going.  
Once we reach the forest, I'm suprised by how much shade the leaves provide.  
The branches are strong and the leaves are thick, exposing pockets of sunshine.  
Amelia keeps the map on-hand as there are no trails. Aside from a few other stragglers exploring the woods, I can hear the scurry of woodland animals.  
With so much cover and so few people, this would be the perfect opportunity for an ambush.  
However, I can sense no hostility near us. I also guess there is no reason for scum to hide in a forest devoid of people, and we don't even carry any cargo.  
Well, paranoia is part of the job of a Sith, I guess.

The deeper we travel into the woods, the thicker the canopy of leaves become, nearly blocking out all the sunlight.  
All the other people have long gone, and even the rustle of bushes have become quiet.

"Poi…"  
The pango nestles even deeper in Amelia's arms.

Leanna shivers and wraps her arms around herself in a hug.

"You okay?"

She seems startled and drops her arms, trying to act normal.  
"I'm fine."

"You know, I was told that when a girl uses those two words together it means she is not fine."  
My dear friend Oberon, the latest Barsen'thor, told me once, as one of our conversations went a bit… off track.

Leanna blinks, then let's out a small laugh.  
"It's nothing, really… It's just that the woods are getting darker and darker and there's a lot more shadows…"

"Are you afraid of the dark?"

Leanna shakes her head.  
"Nothing like that!"

She continues in a much softer voice.  
"But really, you don't have to be concerned. It's nothing."

I'm still not convinced but I'll trust her.  
"Okay..."

The forest continues to block out even more light.  
Soon it becomes so dark we can barely see what's in front of us. Luckily, I see as clearly through the Force as I do with my own eyes.

Zack speaks up.  
"Are you sure we're going the right way?"

Amelia pulls a torch out of her bag in response. She touches her fingers to the tip of the torch and her bracelet glows.  
Then the torch erupts into flames.

"Indeed. There is no need for alarm. The darkness merely indicates we are about to enter the Forest of Sorrows."

"Forest of Sorrows?!"

I'm suprised by Leanna's outburst. Her face is deathly pale.

"Do we have to go through here? There must be an alternate route!"

Amelia shakes her head.  
"Embermyst can only be accessed through these woods."

Leanna groans.  
"I had a feeling you'd say that…"

So this is what was bothering her.

"What's up with the Forest of Sorrows? Is it really as bad as it's name implies?"

"It is rumored that those who venture into the Forest of Sorrows never come out."

Let's play along.  
"They never come out?"

She nods.  
"The reason people are unable to escape is because they hear the voices of the loved ones they have lost. They fruitlessly search for their loved ones, losing their way, chasing the wailing of the spectrals-"

"No! Amelia, stop! We can travel through this stupid place if we have to, but no more of this story stuff that isn't true, and can't be true, so it's not true!"

Although Leanna tries to put on a brave front, her voice grows shriller the longer she talks.  
I guess now would not be a good time to confirm the existance of ghosts… 'living' inside me. Well, I've sealed them, since I didn't want them to take control over my body a second time, but still.  
"Er, right."

Amelia nods.  
"Then let us continue."

I turn to Zack.  
"Do you think all that stuff about the Forest of Sorrows is possible?"

He pulls his fist to his chin.  
"It doesn't matter if I think it's possible because it's the truth."

"Zack! Stop!"

As Leanna turns away, Zack cracks a fleeting smile before resuming his stony stare.  
I have the feeling he just said that to make Leanna even more uncomfortable…

The trees have now lost their cozy feel completely and look thick, old and withered.  
The eerie silence is deafening and each crunch of leaves beneath our feet reminds me of the death and decay of Ziost. Here it really looks awfully similar to that once bustling planet after Valkorion was done with it.  
I feel that the dark side is naturally strong here. Seems like that's the reason for this uncomfortable feeling.  
I also keep seing flashes of beady eyes peering amid the branches. The squawk of some black birds pierces the silence keeping me on edge.  
Instinctively, I pick up the pace, as does everyone else.

Leanan grows increasingly agritated.  
"Are you sure we're going the right way? I swear I've seen that-"

A cold gust of wind extinguishes the torch!

"Kyaaaa!"

I hear the cutest shriek ever as Leanna latches onto my arm and pulls it close to her chest. Her eyes are squeezed shut and she buries her face against me. I feel some heat flushing to my cheeks since I am not used to such close proximity.  
The light returns as Amelia relights the torch.

Leanna peeps an eye open and glances down at my arm...  
And where it rests on her chest…  
Her cheeks burn as hot as the torch and she quickly drops my arm. Hmm, I wasn't complaining.  
"Sorry, I..."  
She trails off as her blush deepens. I bet her nerves from the forest and the awkwardness of grabbing my arm is making her flustered.  
She might be more comfortable holding onto me, but that's an equally awkward suggestion.

I close the distance between us and link arms with her again. I also project a soothing aura for Leanna while I'm at it.  
Although suprised, she doesn't stop me. Instead, she blushes again.

Amelia watches us and cocks her head to the side.  
"Are you afraid?"

That question was directed at me.  
"Huh?"

"You are mimicking Leanna's instinctive reach for your arm. Does that mean you too are feeling afraid?"

"There's nothing wrong with that, especially in a place like this. Everyone fears _something._ "  
While I'm not afraid of ghosts or the dark, this place does wake some unpleasant memories of Ziost and Oricon. I still shiver when I think about the Dread Masters, even though I defeated them... After I freed them in the first place…

Amelia nods.  
"Your rationale is valid."

Leanna squeezes my arm a little tighter and smiles. If cuteness could kill, Leanna would be my undoing.  
"Thanks."

I nod with a warm smile.  
"Anytime."

Zack waits impatiently a few paces ahead of us.  
"Can we move on?"

"Affirmitive."

We all hurry to catch up with Zack and continue through the forest.

No wonder people get lost. This place is quite large.  
Leanna tightens her grip on my arm whenever there's a noise. A black bird flies by and she hides her face in my shoulder.  
I can feel the warmth rush to my cheeks, again, and I'm grateful for the darkness. This is so out of character for Leanna. I never would have guessed that she get's spooked by ghosts.

Gradually, the darkness fades away as the trees are illuminated by an ethereal glow.  
As the blue and green light chases away the shadows, my mood begins to lift.  
The trees still look ancient, but full of wisdom and secrets instead of bad omens. Indeed, the Force here is in harmony again, and it reminds me of Odessen.

"Poi!"

The pango squirms wildly in Amelia's arm. He wriggles free and hops around in glee.  
As he hops around, he opens his mouth wide, but looses his balance and blinks as he falls on his head.

"Poi?"

After a few more confused seconds, he shakes himself and tries again.  
The Force is strong here.

"We have made it through the Forest of Sorrows."

You think so?

Leanna sighs in relief.  
"Finally."

She blushes as she lets go of me.

"So Embermyst is close?"  
Zack states more than he asks.

"The natural concentration of crystal energy would indicate we are on the correct path."

So the crystals really are a manifestation of the Force.

"What do you mean 'on the correct path'? Haven't you travelled here before?"  
Leanna sounds alarmed.

Amelia shakes her head.  
"No, this is my first journey-"

"You mean you had us travel through the Forest of Sorrows without knowing for sure that it would lead us to Embermyst?"

"That is correct."

Leanna gapes at Amelia.

To be fair, Amelia said she knew the location of Embermyst, not that she already was there.

"Well, we did make it through. And if we do reach Embermyst, then she would have delivered on her promise."  
Zack seems to get it as well.

He nods at Amelia who looks curiously at him. While deep in thought, it looks like she's reworking a previous analysis of him. Then she nods back.

Leanna opens her mouth to argue back, but stops.  
"I suppose it doesn't matter now that we're almost there."  
She still sounds a little grumpy, though.

"On that conclusion, let us continue."

We trail behind Amelia, the pango blissfully hopping along, as she navigates us out of the rest of the forest.

Embermyst lies just beyond the edge of the forest, and soon we approach the heavy gates of the city.  
Two tanned men with leather armour and carved wooden staves inlaid with rough crystals stand guard.  
Their staves are crossed, and the light seems to shimemr as it catches the negative space between the stoves.  
Is that some kind of magic?

One of the guards speaks up.  
"Please state your business."

"As students of the Mage Academy, we seek an audience with Elder Issim."

They look us over and I hold their gaze confidently. Their blank eyes seem to burrow deep into my soul. I wonder what they see there.  
They close their eyes and the red crystals inlaid in their staves glow. The translucent glimmers increase.  
After a few minutes, they reopen their eyes and remain silent.

I glance at Leanna who looks back at me. I whisper.  
"Are they going to let us in?"

She shakes her head uncertainly.

Zack crosses his arms but otherwise doesn't seem bothered by the situation. Amelia stands confidently and waits patiently.  
I guess things are going according to her plan?

Just when I'm about to speak up again, a figure steps out from behind the gates.  
He's an old, squirrely man with a set of glasses which slip down his hooked nose. He wears a faded and wrinkled open robe.

"Elder Issim."  
Amelia states.

"Yes? Who is it?"  
He has a hoarse, yet friendly voice.

"I am Amelia Estelle from the Mage Academy, and these are my associates."

"The Mage Academy, you say?"

He adjusts the glasses and peers at Amelia.  
"Yes... yes… "

One by one he peers at the rest of us. He barely glances at Zack but looks at Leanna with interest when he recognises her guild emblem.  
Finally, his gaze lingers on me, almost as if he's trying to place me but can't.

"Well, come on in then. No point in standing around."

The guards break away as he beckons us in and the translucent shimmers disappear.  
After we pass through the gates, I look back right before the gates close and see the guards resume their original position.  
Elder Issim shuffles along the dirt path and leads us through the quaint village. The villagers tend to wear plain, loose fitting tunics.  
Aside from the guards, most people don't carry weapons, although many of them do wear simple bracelets embedded with crystals.  
We soon arrive at a strangely architectually stable clay hut. As we enter, I covertly touch the walls.  
It reminds me of unglazed ceramic tiles.  
We settle down on wide cushions on the floor.

"How were you able to find this place?"

"Through you."

"Eh?"  
Amelia's reply suprised the Elder.

She pulls out a worn tome. Where has she been keeping that this whole time?! Heh, I guess she has her methods. I mean, nobody would guess that I carry two whole sets of robes with me.

"My old research! I thought I'd lost this…"

As Elder Issim carefully turns the pages of the tome, Amelia clears her throat.

Leanna speaks up.  
"We were told you can help us."

"By whom?"

"Professor Exavier."

Elder Issim lets out a loud laugh.  
"Exavier is a professor now? Good for him."  
His voice grows somber again.  
"I've been out of touch with Havengarde and Illumia for many years. I'm not sure how I can help."

Leanna fills him on all that's happened so far, beginning with the spiked energy readings and ending with Professor Exavier's advice.  
She keeps the story simple and straight to the point-carefully eleminating the fact that I'm not from this world.  
Elder Issim listens thoughtfully, but grows more excited the longer Leanna talks.

"The temporal rifts! It's been so long since I really researched them. I'm afraid I've been rather distracted. Still, someone is here to discuss these theories and I'm more than happy to talk about them."

He claps his hands excitedly.  
"Where should we start?"

As I'm about to answer, a deep rumble beneath the earth stops me. I know that kind of sound, and it's not a good sign. I'm reminded of Makeb.  
Just going to be sure.  
"What was that?"

"Hm? Oh, just the volcano. Nothing to worry about."

If the volcano were to erupt, I'd hold the magma back. No big deal.

"There's no need to look so concerned. The volcano will not erupt. This is the first sign of activity it has shown in thousands of years."

"Isn't that concerning?"

"Perhaps if it were any other volcano, but this particular volcano is the domain of the fire elemental who protects us all."

Fire elemental? Maybe that is the strong presence I feel in this area.

"This fire elemental of which you speak, are you referencing the ancients?"

"Precisely."

Zack crosses his arms.  
"The ancients are only a story."

Heh, every story, every rumor, still contains a grain of truth. I wonder, though…  
"Who are the anicents?"

"They are the elements of Esaria. The magic which we have learned to manipulate are the gifts left behind from the ancients."

"That's how the legend goes…"  
Leanna doesn't sound too convinced of Amelia's explanation.

"You are mistaken. They are not a legend."

Leanna looks uncertain while Zack scowls.  
"You still believe in those stories?"

"I believe in the research, and Elder Issim has accumulated plenty of it."

"Then where have the elementals been all this time?"

We all return our focus to the elder.

"Er, I suppose I do have a few theories on that as well… But the elementals are a lot trickier than temporal rifts.  
The story of the ancients is so old, it predates our understanding of crystals and spheres. That's why most societies have forgotten about them and brushed them off as a legend.  
The people in this village, though, have not forgotten. When I arrived, I was purely focused on finding the fire temple for research purposes.  
But the longer I stayed, the more my focus strayed from the temporal rifts to the ancients themselves.  
If you believe that the cause of those random energy spikes are the result of temporal rifts, perhaps that is the link to the return of the elementals to Esaria."

"So what does that mean exactly?"  
I need more details.

He shakes his head.  
"It's hard to say. We don't know why they left in the first place. My guess is that something was keeping them occupied in the spirit world. Perhaps whatever that is was set free by the rifts."

Amelia hangs onto Elder Issim's every word. Leanna absentmindeldy fiddles with her manipulator deep in thought. Only Zack seems skeptical of this conversation.  
While this sounds really intruiging it also seems like something that can't be solved in a few hours. We need to get back on track. How can I go back to my world?  
"To get back to the original topic on hand..."

Elder Issim nods.  
"The temporal rifts, yes."

"How would one go about creating a rift?"

"Ah, well, that'll be difficult. You'll need an incredible amount of energy- more than any one human can create. The only places with that much concentration of energy is in the temples of the elementals."

That must be the reason I feel this strong signature in the Force. It's true nature still eludes me- it's too far away, but I can feel it. Those temples, though…  
"You said that there was one in the village."

"Yes, the fire temple is here in Embermyst."

"Great!"

This is really good. I've found a way back. And if I really master the power to create a temporal rift… the power to bend spacetime to my will, basically… I already am a god, but then I'd also be omnipotent!

"To be more precise, it's on the outskirts of the village, built on the side of the volcano, but it's not a far walk."

Huh. The fire temple in a volcano near a mystic village called Embermyst. Figures. You tellin' me that the wind temple is on floating rocks or something? Anyway, close is good.

"Then that's where we need to go."  
Leanna concludes.

She pushes herself to her feet and the rest of us do the same. As Elder Issim rises, his face falls.

"Leaving so soon? I was hoping we'd have a longer chance to chat. I have so many questions about Illumia and the academy. As you can imagine, one does not get a lot of news of the outside world here."

"Perhaps on our return."  
I really do enjoy his company. He is a wise man who knows plenty of things I could learn. In turn I could widen his horizon a little as well.

"Ah! Yes, of course. Well, you best be on your way, then."

"Elder Issim, it was truly an honor to meet you."  
Amelia bows slightly.

Her cheeks flush as Elder Issim grins. She must really respect him as well. In that moment, I realise just how small and dainty she looks. I sometimes forget how young she is compared to the rest of us. Her mind is way more mature than her body is, though.

We all say our goodbyes and then exit the hut.

Once outside, we scan the horizon, trying to orient ourselves towards the volcano. Well, the others do. I can sense the temple, and the direction in where it is.

"Excuse me."

I whirl around around and come face to face with a woman wearing just enough fabric to cover her essentials and nothing more.  
Her long brown hair is tied up in a ponytail, which falls down her neck and frames her very ample chest.

Before I have the chance to speak, Zack asks the question on everyone's mind.  
"Who are you?"

Zack steps in front of Amelia who frowns and steps away. I guess he's taking this bodyguarding business really seriously.  
Leanna holds herself stiffly, ready to move if necessary.  
I cross my arms. If she tries anything funny, I have limitless options to make her wish she didn't. Though the fact I didn't notice her even when she was basically right behind me is concerning.

The woman salutes.  
"Kara Noir, treasure hunter extraordinaire!"

Zack narrows his eyes.  
"What do you want with us?"

"Well, I couldn't help but overhear that you're interested in the fire temple."

"How did you hear us when we were inside?"  
Excellent question Leanna.

She taps her nose knowingly.  
"I have very sensitive hearing."

"I fail to understand how our interests are of relevance to you."  
Fire temple, home of the ancients. Treasure hunter. The dots aren't that hard to connect. I expected more of you and your sharp mind, Amelia.  
However, before I can speak up, this woman answers. It seems like I'm not meant to say something in this conversation.

"I was just getting to that. You see, I've come to offer an extension of friendship."

Both Leanna and Zack raise an eyebrow.

"Or at least an extension of mutual benefit."

She probably already was in there and stumbled upon something magic which stopped her from proceeding or something. Doesn't hurt to be sure, though.  
"Okay..."

"It's true that the villagers maintain the fire temple, but from what I've discovered, they are unaware of the temple's secret passage. If you're interest in the energy of the temple, I can guarantee that's where you'll find it."

"If the villagers don't know about the secret passage, how did you find it?"  
Leanna sounds still cautious, but also curious.

"It's all part of the treasure hunting gig. You have to be looking for it to find it."  
True enough. That's the same with archeology. You won't find something if you don't look for it.

Kara winks and gives us a thumbs up.  
"The best part is that I've already disarmed or made note of most of the traps in there."

I sigh.  
"Of course there are traps in that temple..."  
I've yet to see a temple without traps.

Amelia seems to have misunderstood me. I guess my sigh made the 'of course' barely audible.  
"The temples are a sanctuary for the elementals, but any place that is easily accessible is sure to attract all types. There where measures set in place to protect the spirit from those who would wish to harm it."

"Like I said, I've disarmed _most_ of the traps but not all. There is one magical barrier at the end of the tunnel which I have not yet been able to pass. I don't have magic, but you do."  
She gestures to Leanna and Amelia.  
Heh. Nailed it.

"If you can magic that barrier away, then that's at least one step closer to finding your energy."

Zack crosses his arms and glares at Kara.  
"How does that benefit you?"

Oh, c'mon guys, really? Fire temple, treasure hunter, it's as obvious as Leanna's beauty. … Sigh…

She grins.  
"All I'm interested in are the artifacts and relics. From the sounds of it, you guys are more interested in something else. Hence, mutually beneficial! So, what do you think?"

I look at the rest of my group. Worldessly, we huddle closer together and whisper.  
I don't know if I trust her. She's friendly, sure, but she seems… strange. … It could be that I've never had to deal with a kind of person like her. You don't see many cheerful personalities in wars, after all. But ultimately…  
"Who cares if she joins or not? She's not interested in the elemental or the energy. If she doesn't come with us she'll just go after we've broken the barrier."

"Hm, you do have a point."  
Leanna agrees.

"I must concede that I am impressed by her resourcefulness. It is plainly evident that she is not a native to Embermyst, which means she somehow discerned the location on her own."

"That's a really good point."  
Now that I think of it, I'm impressed.

Leanna looks thoughtful.  
"As a treasure hunter, her tracking skills could come in handy in the future."

We all stare at Zack. He shrugs.  
"Do what you want."

"That sounds like a yes to me."

Zack doesn't respond. He just fixes his steely gaze on me.

"So does this mean we're agreed on joining up with Kara?"

Leanna concludes and we all nod.

"Poi!"

The pango sits in the middle of our circle and blinks happily.

"Where do you even go when you're hiding?"  
Can he use some kind of advanced Force stealth or something? I want to know!

"Poi poi."

I fluently understand Basic, Shyriiwook, Huttese, Dosh and even Geonosian, among others. Only my Mando'a is broken. One day I'll be fluent in pois, too.

"Let's go tell Kara."

We turn around and Kara stands right behind Leanna, her face only inches away. Leanna lets out a startled gasp.  
Why can't I feel her presence?! What's up with that!? I especially learned this ability to _not_ get suprised like that.

Kara rubs her hands excitedly.  
"Alright, this will be fun!"

"Wait, we didn't give you our answer yet."  
Leanna, she has 'very sensitive hearing'. I think she knows.

Kara plays along, either way.  
"Oh, sorry."  
She steps back and gestures for Leanna to continue. Leanna speaks awkwardly. I guess she feels a little silly saying what Kara somehow already knows.

"Um, well, we decided to take you up on your offer."

Kara nods.  
"Excellent! Since we're going to be working together, first things first. You all know my name, but I don't know yours."

"I'm Leanna."

"Mage-Knight, from the guild?"

She nods.

"I am Amelia Estelle, a Mage-Caster from the Mage Academy."

Kara blinks.  
"A student to become a Mage-Caster? But you look just like a teenager!"

Amelia cocks her head to the side.  
"It is natural that my physical appearance would represent my age."

She looks at Amelia with respect.  
"That is pretty impressive.  
Who's next?"

She looks at Zack.

He crosses his arms.  
"Zack."

She chuckles.  
"Very clearly a mercenary."

I know, right?  
"And I'm Xerath."

Her green eyes study me, and altough she's very clearly examining me, I don't feel uncomfortable under her stare.

"Now that that's out of the way-"

"Poi poi!"

Kara steps back and views the pango by my feet.  
"You have a pango! How cute!"

She reaches down and pets him on the head. He beams at her touch.  
"And what's your name?"

"Poi!"

She glances at the rest of us but none of us make a move to answer.  
"Oh, is he not part of your group?"

"He is! Sort of."  
That is strangely accurate, Leanna.

"And you haven't named him yet?"

Leanna shuffles uncomfortably. Zack and I remain unchanged while Amelia frowns.  
"A pango is a wild creature."

Kara straightens and pats Amelia on the head, much to her dismay.  
"If you say so. Okay, are we ready to get going?"

We murmur our assent and then Kara leads us out of the city.

As we walk, another ominous rumble sends butterflies to my stomach. One planet falling apart under my feet was enough, thank you very much.  
I glance at the others wo seem unfazed. I guess it's just me.  
Pushing my insecurities down, I silently follow the group towards the temple.  
Just as Elder Issim noted, the temple is a short walk out of the village on a well worn dirt path.  
The road is mostly empty with only one or two travelers coming back towards the village.

The temple is an open structure with a roaring fire in a grand hall.  
High collumns with flames carved into them hold up the building. Adorning the stone walls are beautiful tiled mosaics.  
There's one wall with some strange symbols scratched on them. They're very faded, and I have to squint to make them out.  
From what I can make out, four symbols surround a darkness in a square, with a line of fire enclosing the parameter, trapping the darkness in the center.  
Hmm, looks like a prophecy...  
"Huh, I wonder what that is."

Amelia peers over, then glances at the carving.  
"Those symbols represent each of the magical elements."

She points to each one.  
"There is: fire, water, earth and wind."

Then she points to the center.  
"And that is shadow."

"Well, it seems like a prophecy to me..."

She looks at me intrigued.  
"Would you elaborate your thought?"

"Well-"

I notice that Kara, Zack and Leanna have already moved on.

"Actually, let's catch up with the others before they leave us behind."

Amelia looks like she wants to protest but I already hustle to catch up, so she follows.  
"Don't look like that. We can always talk later."

She seems to relax slightly and gives me a small nod.

Besides us, the only other people in the temple are the monks who care for it.  
They're dressed in woven red robes in the same open and loose style as the villagers of Embermyst.  
Quietly, they shuffle back and forth, sweeping the floor or relighting any of the smaller fires which have burned down.

"Poi…"

The pango looks around in wonder and reverence. At the sight of the giant flame, he squeaks and hops up on me, claiming his spot on my shoulder. Heh, his behaviour reminds me somewhat of kowakian monkey-lizards, just less annoying and more adorable.

Kara bows briefly before the large flame then leads us to the back of the chamber and stops in front of an empty wall.

"We're here!"

Zack sighs.

Kara might be a little... out there, but I don't get the impression that she's stupid. On the contrary, her sharp emerald eyes tell of a keen mind, belied by her... unique behaviour. There must be more to this wall than first meets the eye.

"Is there a mechanism hidden somewhere that triggers a doorway?"

Kara's eyes glitter.  
"Bingo!"

With her gaze fixed on us, Kara pushes on a brick and a segment of the wall pushes in and swings open.  
She waves at the opening with a flourish.  
"Ta-da!"

I'm curious.  
"How did you know which brick to push in?"

"It usually depends, but in this case there is one brick that sticks out slightly more than the others. If you aren't looking for it, you won't see it."

She heads through the opening and pushes the wall closed behind us.  
Then she leads us down a winding stone stairway which ends at the beginning of a narrow passage.  
We file in behind her as she carefully picks her way down the hall.  
It's a very plain stone hallway with wall sconces lighting the way.  
This reminds me of my many expeditions through the ancient tombs or Korriban. Good times…  
Oh, right, placing a mark. When expeditate, always place a mark at the beginning. Phase Walk is really useful.

I look down at my feet and notice a brick with an 'X' marked on it.  
I bet those are the marks Kara spoke of earlier. I want to find out what kind of traps are here, but I don't want to look stupid... Sigh, decisions, decisions…  
In the end I decide to avoid triggering any traps and step around the brick.  
The deeper we walk the more 'X's I notice. There sure are a lot of traps here…

Zack pauses in front of a corridor where the walls are covered in 'X's.  
"Why are there so many X's on this wall?"

Kara looks down the same passageway.  
"Oh, it's a two-part trap."

She points to a stone on the ground with the same 'X' marking.  
"Basically, if you step on the ground stone, it triggers thick bars to shoot out from all the X's in the wall and block the path."

"That doesn't sound _too_ bad."  
One telekinetic wave should do the trick.

"Only if you know how to limbo. The bars have something keeping them hot and will burn you if you toutch it."

"Okay, that sounds worse."

"And you were able to cross that?"

Kara winks at Zack.  
"I am very limber."

I expected Zack to brush off her comment like he brushed off every other girl, but he actually looks... impressed?

Amelia looks between Zack and Kara.  
"Based on the dilation of Zack's pupils, it appears that Kara's flexibility is attractive to him."

Zack is taken aback whilst I supress a snort.  
"I was just thinking that it is a useful skillset to have."

Kara has a mischievous glint in her eyes.  
"Useful skillset to have? In what context?"

Yeah, I wonder.

Zack frowns.  
"For scouting and navigating. You've done a thorough job mapping this place out and marking the traps."

Good save, mate.

Leanna looks amused.  
"Zack, was that a compliment?"

He glares at Leanna.  
"No, an observation."

Kara smiles playfully.  
"Then thank you for the observation."

Zack falls into silence before turning away. I think that's the most I've ever heard him talk in a 30 second span.  
Now that I think about it, his behaviour reminds me not only of a certain mandalorian, but also of my best friend since Korriban. A'den Taurus, the Eternal Wrath. He's also quite broody and doesn't talk much, and he get's easily flustered by his wife, Vette. …Well, Kara also shares some similarities with Vette…

We continue through the tunnels.  
Eventually, she stops in front of another well of fire in the middle of the hall.  
"The barrier is here."

She gestures at the swirling metallic wall behind the well. The way that it glitters as it wisps and curls almost looks like a fire.  
Leanna and Amelia step closer and inch their hands in front of them before gingerly touching the barrier.

"It's suprisingly solid for something that looks so gaseous. Maybe there's some wind magic interwoven with whatever other magic is here."

The pango hops forward with stars in his eyes.  
"Poooii…"

He dashes straight for the barrier!

"Pango, wait!"  
Kara calls out.

I stretch out my arm and race after him. This barrier is incredibly strong, I can't fathom what could happen...  
"Pango, no!"

Instead of running into a wall, the pango passes straight through and out of sight.

Leanna gasps and rushes to the wall.  
"Pango?! Oh no! What if something happens to him?"

I take a deep breath before I step over and put a hand on her shoulder to calm her down.  
"He's a scrappy and resourceful pango. I'm sure he'll be okay."

"I suppose so..."

Leanna bites her lip and stares anxiously at the barrier.  
"Pango…"

"Poi?"  
A blue head pops out of the barrier.

"What?"  
I'm confused.

He hops the rest of the way out.  
"Poi poi!"

Leanna scoops him up in a hug.  
"Pango! You're back safe!"

"Poi!"

After a second, the pango wiggles out of her arms and rushes back over to me. Leanna pouts cutely, then refocuses on the barrier.  
Amelia places both of her hands back on the barrier while Leanna holds out her manipulator.

"Whatever is beyond this wall hosts a plethora of energy."

Leanna nods.  
"My manipulator confirms that. No wonder the pango ran in there."

Zack continues to hang back and observe, but Kara steps closer to the barrier.  
"But how did he even pass through?"

Leanna shrugs. Amelia continues studying the wall, moving her hands up and down.  
"I do not recognize this magic."

She frowns, deeply disturbed.

"Is there anything you can do to break it?"  
Kara seems… impatiant. I don't hold it against her, though, as I am quite curious myself.

"Let's see."

Leanna and Amelia both put their hands on the barrier, their manipulators glowing.  
They each transmit pulses of magic which disperse across the surface in a shimmering wave.  
I think they're most probably trying to create stress fractures to crack the wall. Either that or they try to match the barriers wavelength, like you could do with shields.  
After a few tries, Leanna sighs in frustration, then steps back.

"Amelia, stand back."

She wordlessly obeys.

Leanna gathers energy at her gauntlet then strikes the barrier with an empowered strike.  
Suddenly, golden lettering forms on the barrier.  
 _Absolve your world to enter mine._

"Hmm, a riddle. Any ideas?"  
I somehow doubt whe shall really leave our bodies behind and enter as ghosts, spirits or whatever. Thus we probably are required to leave something of personal value behind. Only if we take it at face value, of course.

No one answers. Amelia steps forward and focuses on the wall of flickering flame.  
"If I am interpreting this message correctly, we must part with our most precious possession -our 'world'- and throw it in the fire."

Great minds think alike.

Leanna nods thoughtfully.  
"Kind of like we're freeing ourselves."

Kara's face drains of colour and she clutches at her pack.  
"Are you sure?"

""Yes.""

Amelia glances towards me. She probably didn't expect me to come to the same conclusion.

We stand around awkwardly until Leanna clears her throat.  
"If that's what we need to do, then it seems easy enough. I'll go first."

"We're doing this for me. I should be the one to go first."  
As much as I want to see what Leanna would part with, who knows what awaits on the other side?

Leanna blinks, but I step up to the fire before she can object.

Hmm, what do I choose?  
I think the answer is quite obvious.  
I fish in my pockets and grab my lightsaber.  
This small weapon is a part of me, empowers me. As I hold it gently in my hands again and gaze over it, I remember when I forged it with the help of Satele and Marr. This weapon is the embodiement of my beliefs. Not to mention the trouble I went through to get my hands on that colour crystal. Black and dark blue is quite rare. The thought of parting with it makes my chest hurt.  
Reluctantly, I toss it into the fire and watch the flames lap it up.

Then I steel my resolve and slowly step forward.  
As I cross through, I feel the tingle of energy and hear the crackle of electricity.  
There's a bright light blinding my vision, and I have a flashback of my crossing to Terra.  
My foot lands on solid ground. I passed through the barrier unharmed!  
Gradually, my eyes adjust to the dim light, and I see I'm in a cozy room.  
In the middle of the room is an absolutely adorable medium large feline of some sorts, who swishes its tail as it observes me. Beside it is a woman with flaming red hair, long, pointed ears and a slightly red hue to her skin, I cannot describe with any word less than beautiful. Her delicate hand rests atop the feline's head.

As I look her over, her gaze lands on me.

"...Who are you?"  
I can feel her presence in the Force. It's extremely strong, yet feels like it's just a part of her. Like Valkorion as the Sith Emperor.

The woman blinks at me, then smiles.  
For a second, I think I see the flames lighting the room flicker and a warmth permeates my body. It's pleasent, like an embrace.  
Although she holds my gaze, she doesn't speak.

"How did you get in here?"  
I have an idea…

Again, she remains silent, but takes a step closer.

"Who are you talking to?"

"Huh?"

I peek behind the woman and see Zack standing with an eyebrow raised and his arms crossed.  
The rest of my companions pause in their inspection of the room and stare at me. Kara stands beside an altar while Amelia and Leanna are both kneeling beside the feline.  
The feline accepts their attention, rhythmically swishing its tail, but otherwise makes no move to respond. Instead, it fixes its attention on me.  
I haven't even noticed them enter, strange.  
Even now when I know that they are here, I can barely feel their presence.  
It is possible that the strong presence of the woman and the entire room are drowning out the others.

"Are you talking to the fox?"

"No…"

Apparently, they can see the feline, or fox, but not the woman. So I deduce that she is a Force projection or Force ghost or something along those lines. That would explain why her presence feels like just a fraction. And either she chooses to be only be seen by me or only I can see her because I'm way stronger in the Force.

I fall silent as I contemplate my thoughts and the group casts me worried glances.

"Who exactly are you seeing?"  
Leanna sounds curious, yet also a bit cautious.

"There's a woman dressed in red, with flaming red hair standing right here beside the fox."

Leanna looks towards the fox but her eyes glaze right over the woman.  
She furrows her brows, concerned.

"Okay..."  
Her voice is gentle, like she doesn't want to spook me. I have to admit that it irritates me, slightly.

"So none of you guys can see her?"  
I voiced it like a question, albeit it is more like a statement.  
The group collectively shakes their heads.

"Figured. I'm not sure why you guys can't see her, but I promise you, she _is_ there."

"Poooii…"  
The pango hops out from behind my legs. He first examines the woman with partial interest, then he stares in wonder at the fox.

"Poi?"  
The fox cocks its head to the side and observes the pango. The pango perks up and cautiously bounces forward.  
He pauses right before the fox. The fox's nose wiggles as it sniffs at the pango. Then it swishes its tail and the pango squels before running back behind my legs.

"Poi poi!"  
He sounds scared. I wonder why.  
More important, though.

"You see her too?"

"Poi."  
His voice is a firm confirmation.

The woman giggles at the pango and gently pats his head. He shivers happily at her touch. Then she straightens up and takes a step closer.  
Her feet don't touch the ground and her skirt floats ethereally behind her.  
Altough my instinct tells me to back away, I stand firm, curious to her intention.

"Hmm?"  
I raise an eyebrow at her.

"What's going on?"  
Leanna asks.

"She's getting closer. A lot closer, actually."

She pauses once she draws near and touches her palm to my forehead.  
A pulse of warmth flows through me before she retracts her hand.  
I feel invigorated with restored strenght. And the more stronger I feel, the more translucent the woman becomes. She is transferring her power to me, thus her projection fades. Soon, she disappears.  
The pango looks at me with renewed interest… it reminds me of that same look he gave me when we first met…  
He licks his lips.

"Don't even think about it!"

"Poi…"  
The pango pouts and lets out a sad sigh.

Kara waves a hand in front of my face.  
"Hey, are you okay? You kind of zoned out there for a second."

"I think I'm fine."  
More than fine, actually.

"What happened?"

"I'm not too sure…"

I am about to continue to share my thoughts, but Leanna speaks up before I can.  
"Where is the woman now?"

"Actually, she's gone."

Amelia reacts to my words by playing with her bracelets.  
She holds her manipulator up to me.  
"Curious. I may have a theory."

"What is it?"  
I'd like to know if she's on the same track I am.

"All the energy which had accumulated here has now gathered within you."

I nod.  
"As I was just about to say…"  
I glance at Leanna, who looks apologetic at me.  
"I think that this woman transferred the energy into me."

Leanna looks intrigued.  
"How is that possible?"

"I'm not sure. I felt it after she touched me."

Leanna's eyes widen.

"I wouldn't phrase it like that."

What do you mean, Zack?  
…Oh.  
"Not in a weird way! She just touched my forehead and suddenly I felt a rush of energy."

Amelia stares hard at me.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I am merely anticipating the imminent reaction."

"Reaction to what?"

"The high concentration of energy you just absorbed. The human body was not meant to process such large quantities of energy. At least, that has certainly been the trend with someone from _Terra_."

Amelia's gaze bores into me as she emphases the word 'Terra'. Then she looks back down to her manipulator.  
I supress a smile to the best of my abilities, which means the ghost of a smile still forms on my lips, because I knew Amelia will find out sooner or later. It's just a matter of hours now before she brings it up. Probably after we exit the temple.

"Altough, two minutes have passed and there seems to be no sign of an adverse reaction."  
Wait, why does she sound so disappointed?

Suddenly, Kara squeals as she gingerly picks a rusty coin out of the remains of a leather satchel.  
"This is a genuine Vestan coin!"

Zack glances at the coin and folds his arms, clearly unimpressed.  
"How much can a rusty, outdated coin be worth?"

Kara cocks her arm on her hips.  
"About a few hundred gold pieces."

Zack's demeanor instantly changes.  
"You don't say."

Kara smoothly pockets the satchel as Zack covertly searches the room.

As Kara finishes her inspection of the room, Leanna looks around.  
"Well, since we found what we came for, we should head back."

Kara nods and leads the way out. As we leave the room, we notice the fire which had previously glowed in front of the barrier is now gone but all of our items are still intact.  
I never felt the conection to my lightsaber waver, but I can't hide my relief to find it unharmed.  
"Hey, nothing was burned in here!"

"Curious… Then it can be assumed that the purpose of the trial was not to destroy our possessions but to test our willingness to sacrifice."  
I nod approvingly.

Kara happily scoops out her coin purse.  
"I'm not complaining."

Leanna smiles in relief as she reaches in and quickly collects what looks like a ring attached to a thin chain.

"Let's keep going."  
Suprising to hear that from Kara, I was under the impression she likes this place.

I pick up my lightsaber.  
"Actually, I have something to check out first. You guys go on ahead, I'll meet you at the entrance."

Everyone looks suprised at me.  
Kara asks concerned.  
"Are you sure you'll find the way?"

I placed a mark for my phase walk right after I entered the secret passage, so...  
"Yes. You don't have to worry about me, I just need a few minutes."

My tone brooks no room for opposition.  
"...If you say so."

The rest of the group snatch up their items and continue back out of the corridor.

I gaze at my lightsaber again as I wait until they are far enough ahead. It is simple in form, copper in colour and engraved with blue markings.  
I ignite my lightsaber and it activates with a satisfying sound. Its black blade emits a dark blue light.  
It hums gently as it illuminates the hall. I take some swings with it to get used to it's completely different center of mass compared to my vibro sword.  
I practice a set of moves of the technique Leanna tought me, and I'm suprised at how well it combines into my style.

After a few more sets I decide that I've played around enough for now and deactivate my lightsaber. The blade retracts with its distinctive sound and I put it back in my pocket again.  
I search for the presence of my group, or dare I say friends. This time, without that much external energy to interfere with my senses, I notice that they just reached the grand hall again.  
I focus on the mark I left by the secret door and return there instantly.  
After a few more steps I pop out of the same wall in which we entered. Just as before, the main ceremonial hall is empty, aside from my group.  
I make my appearance known as I clear my throat.  
Leanna turns around instantly as I was basically behind her.

"Ah, there you are!"

"How were you so fast? We barely arrived here and you weren't behind us."

Valid question, Kara.  
"I too know my way around temples."

She looks at me with an intrigued gleam in her eyes.  
"You sure seem to."

"Shall we get going, then?"  
I nod towards the exit.

We wave goodbye to the couple of monks sweeping the entryway, then begin the walk back to the village.

I approach Amelia as there are some things I'd like to discuss with her.  
"So, that theory that you mentioned in the temple about the woman... what was it?"

Amelia glances at me.  
"Given the location and the circumstances previously described by Elder Issim, my estimation is that the unknown woman you encountered was a projected image of the fire elemental. Of course, as I could not observe her myself, I cannot be certain."

That would most certainly deck out with what I've felt.  
"Do you think that's why she wouldn't talk back? Also, why wouldn't she show up in person?"

"The amount of energy needed to sustain just an appearance of the elemental would have drained the temple completely. There would have been no energy left for her to give to you."

"That is probably why she disappeared right after."

"The depletion of the energy in the temple would have meant she'd no longer be sustained in this world."

Amelia looks thoughtful.  
"Altough, it is quite unusual that she would have you absorb the energy to begin with."

"Hmm…Maybe it has something to do with that carving in the temple..."

"The one you think is a prophecy?"

"Exactly. The way I interpret it is along those lines: _A dark force will rise, so powerful that it needs all four other elements combined to stop it._ It may be a long shot, but maybe the elemental chose me to carry this energy to fight in the battle against this powerful force."

"That is an interesting interpretation. I will keep it in mind."

"Thank you."

Amelia looks thoughtful.  
"Still, it is quite perplexing that she would only reveal herself to you."

"It's not just me. The pango saw her too. Altough he focused more on the fox thing."

"The Guardian."

"Hmm? You mean like a guardian of the temple?"

"Precisely. Each temple has its own Guardian who protects it."

"I see. So he didn't attack us because we solved the trial with the fire?"

Amelia nods approvingly, albeit deep in thought.

"Are you still trying to figure out why no one else could see the Elemental?"

She nods again.

"Any theories?"

"As of now, I do not have one, but perhaps after some further research..."  
Her voice trails off as she falls back in deep thought.

I leave her to her own thoughts and fall in step with Kara.

"So, who exactly were the Vestans?"

"They were the original tribe of Embermyst and the initial keepers of the fire temple."

"Did they build the temple?"

Kara shrugs.  
"It depends on who you ask. Some experts believe they did, others think the temple was already there when the Vestans came about."

"Interesting…"

Now I'm curious.  
"How did you get into treasure hunting?"

She pauses just a little too long before flashing me her usual cheerful grin.  
"I just sort of fell into it, honestly. Treasure hunting naturally fit into my nomadic lifestyle."

"Where did you learn all the history to even identify the relics?"

"You'd be suprised how much you pick up along the way… especially after you realise what a lucrative business this can be."

Oh, I can confirm. Even though I learned much of the old lords through books Zash borrowed me, I picked up quite a lot along the way.

"So you're mostly in it for the money?"

Couldn't blame her. I was in it mostly for the power as well, even though archeology quickly became a fun and interesting topic for me.

"I didn't say that. I'll admit that at first I was just in it for the money, but the more I learned about the ancient people of Esaria, the more invested I became in the history of each relic I found.  
I started to find myself daydreaming about who might have used the items I found. What kind of person where they? Did they cherish this item or was it just another part of their ever-growing collection of stuff?"

My lips curve upward into a smirk.  
"Hmm, who would've known that we share such an uncommong interest?"

Kara looks at me strangely.  
"Are you a treasure hunter too?"

"I'd consider myself more of an archeologist, but I guess I hunted for the treasures. Figuratively. Sadly, I don't know much of the history of Esaria. Maybe you can teach me a bit when we have some time."

"I'd be glad to."  
She shoots me a beaming grin, and if it wouldn't be obvious enough, I can feel the genuine happiness radiating off of it.  
I have the feeling she doesn't have too many people to talk about this topic deeply, and freely. Like Talos.

Talos… I supress a snort as I recall our first meeting. Everyone of his colleagues thought he had a screw loose. Then I came along and shared his interest. Those simple minded fools expressions were priceless, when Talos and I had a heated debate about the old lords and their views.

Kara, Zack and Amelia lead the way back to Embermyst while I lag behind.  
The pango sits on my head.  
I miss the guys back home, I have to admit. After everything we've been through together…  
However, I also grow fond of my little group here. Even Kara, although I just met her. Sigh, there are some though choices ahead of me.

Leanna notices my absence and falls into step with me, pulling me out of my thoughts.  
She pats the pango who ignores her, still too focused on the energy around me. Leanna pouts adorably, then shakes away the pango's disregardence of her and focuses her attention on me.  
"Something on your mind?"

I chuckle dryly.  
"You could say that."  
I heave a sigh.  
"It's just, I miss my friends back home."

Leanna looks at me dejectedly.  
"I understand. If there's anything I can do-"

I cut her off but keep my voice low so the others don't hear me.  
"Actually, now that I've collected the energy of the temple, that means I can try to create a temporal rift and go back, right?"

Kara stops, then whirls around to face us. Zack and Amelia stop with her.  
"Pardon me, you were speaking very softly and it was a little hard to hear, but it sounded like you just said you need to open a temporal rift to go back home. But that can't be right, can it?"

I mentally facepalm. I already forgot Kara's hearing. Does this woman have some sort of super sonic hearing or something?  
I glance at Leanna who looks alarmed.

"Well...about that…"  
I don't really know how I should explain this, thus I falter a bit finding the right words.

Kara's smile falters at my hesitance, but Amelia looks excited.  
"I knew it! My hypothesis is correct!"

I smirk approvingly at Amelia. She was bound to figure it out on her own sooner or later.  
Leanna seems confused, however.  
"Hypothesis? What hypothesis?"

"My hypothesis is that he is from a parallel world."

Leanna's eyes grow wide and she forces a panicked smile.  
"I think all this parallel world and temporal rift talk has been getting to you. I mean, Elder Issim said it's impossible-"

"He has already admittet it."

What? Leanna and I were careful not to say anything. She has me intruiged.  
"When?"

"The day of our acquaintance."

I search my memories and can't recall bringing that up around Amelia.

"You sought out Professor Exavier's guidance and after he imparted his advice, you and Leanna had a brief discussion in which you mentioned that what he had suggested was exactly what happened to you. Thus began my hypothesis that you arrived from a parallel world."

Leanna looks at me, unsure how to react.

I smile proudly at Amelia, resisting the urge to pat her head.  
"I knew you would figure it out eventually. You're right, I'm not from Terra."

"Not from Terra, huh?"  
Zack looks me up and down and nods to himself.  
"That's a lot better than the alternative."

"What _is_ the alternative?"

"That you might be… 'unique'."

"Zack!"  
Leanna looks at him sharply.

He shrugs.  
"He didn't even know what a discharger was. At least if he's from another world that explains these things."

Kara looks skeptical.  
"How did he get here?"

"There have been unexplaibably high concentrations of energy popping up throughout Esaria and he happened to show up at one of those areas. We went to the Mage Academy to get some answers and that's how we came up with the possibility that the high energy readings were temporal rifts and somehow he had traveled through one. Why or how those rifts were even opened we still don't know…"

I finish Leanna's explanation  
"But if they're the only way for me to get back home, then I have to try open one."

Kara shrugs.  
"Let's just make sure you attempt to open one far away from where I'm standing."

"That might be tricky considering no one knows how to open one. We may need to talk to Elder Issim."  
Leanna has a point. Plus, I promised to visit him again.

"That won't be necessary. I know how to do so already."

We all stare at her.  
Amelia clearly doesn't get enough credit. But still...

"...How do you know that?"

"The directions are located in Elder Issim's old research notes, which I had gathered from the Academy. The spell itself is a simple conjuration which even an amateur could do."

"An amateur can open a temporal rift? Then why isn't everyone doing it?"  
I know that the Sith and Jedi would kill for this knowledge...

"The impossibility of the spell comes from the fact that the human body cannot manipulate the amount of energy needed for it."  
She pauses, then points to me.  
"He may be an exception."

I fold my arms behind my back as their gazes fall on me.

"Given that you have absorbed energy directly from the temple, which should also be an impossibility, I must assume that there is something within you which can possess the high amount of magic without suffering consequences.  
Perhaps it is a skill which you acquired from your world."

I raise my hand to my chin as I think about my time on Belsavis.  
"You may be on to something…"

I let my statement sink in as all my companions attention falls on me again.  
This guys… we've achieved so much together already, and I trust them. They deserve to know who I truly am. _What_ I truly am.

"As I mentioned to Leanna and Amelia already, I am a sorcerer, and quite a powerful one at that. I do not understand your usage of magic, yet, but I do understand it's source. And on my rise to power..."  
I trail off as I contemplate for the right words to say.  
"Let's just say I found a way to hold a large amount of energy in my body."

Kara and Zack look sceptikal at me.  
"You sure don't look like a mage, sorcerer or whatever."

"Yeah, Leanna decided I'd need to wear different clothes."

"Everyone was staring at you and you drew too much attention!"  
Leanna tries to explain my otherwise questionable remark as she blushes slightly.

I shrug.  
"You were the only one bothered by it."

Before Leanna and I can discuss the matter of my clothing further Amelia speaks up.  
"Out of scientific interest, on what level of power are you?"

I raise an eyebrow at her.  
"Would you believe me if I said 'godlike'?"

Leanna and Kara's eyes open wide and their mouths hang open.  
Zack just crosses his arms.  
"Are you delusional or something?"

Amelia blinks.  
"I would have my doubts. After all, we have no proof of any ability of yours as of yet."

I smirk at her. Her levelheadedness is admirable.  
"True. Well, I cannot give you a demonstration why I consider myself a god, as that would be way too dangerous, but I can demonstrate some of my more basic powers."

I point towards a large rock nearby the path and they turn to look at it.  
I hold my right index and middle finger out while I curl the others together and raise the boulder.  
They look between me and the boulder as I let it levitate left and right before I put it down on the same spot again.

Leanna asks perplexed.  
"That… that wasn't wind magic, was it?"

I shake my head.  
"No. The result may be similar, but the way to achieve it differs greatly. This was a basic telikinesis."

Amelia speaks up next.  
"That is impressive, but nothing that warrants calling yourself a god."

"True again. As I said, this is one of the most basic of basics. This one is one of my more destructive abilities."

I raise my right hand skyward and shoot a Lightning Flash. The purple lightning strikes down on the boulder, pulverizing it.

Their mouths hang open at the destructive display.

"As you see I am _not_ delusional. I have accumulated a strenght to rightfully consider me godlike."

"W-Why haven't you told us sooner, showed us sooner?"  
Leanna looks a little pale. Her expression is hurting me.

"How should I have done that? 'Hello, I am Darth Xerath 'Imperius' Kallig, god of another world.' I doubted that would've worked."

"If your power is so dangerous, why did you tell us this now?"

I look Amelia straight in the eyes.  
"Because I trust you."

I turn my head to look Leanna, Zack and Kara in the eyes.  
"All of you. You've been nothing but helpful and supportive towards me, so I felt you deserved to know the truth."

They were rendered speechless, even Zack and Amelia.

"Xerath…"  
Leanna spoke softly and had an expression on her face I couldn't quite figure out.

I take a deep breath and continue. I don't want them to view me different because of this.  
"No matter how powerful I am, I am still _me_ , the same person you've known so far."

"Are you know? Who knows if you haven't acted on your behaviour before as well?"

I turn to Kara, and I can't keep the look of hurt flashing on my face.  
"You are the only ones who _truly_ know me. With you, I was just Xerath Kallig, a young man. I didn't need to be a Dark Lord, the Eternal Emperor, no force of pure destruction. I could just be _me_."

Kara viewed me remorsefully.

"'Force of pure destruction'? What do you mean by that?"

Woah, Zack said something again.  
"Well, you see, in my world, there's a war going on, basically between the Light side and the Dark side. It's on a scale you can't even imagine, and they kill each other just because of their beliefs. You could compare it to your war against VOID, and I've been trapped in this war since my birth, in one way or another. So as I became powerful, I had to use my powers against others."

Everyone of my group had different reactions.  
Kara and Leanna gasped and had their hands over their mouths.  
Zack hanged his head down.

Amelia looked at me apolegetic, yet curious.  
"When your world is that bad, why do you want to go back?"

I regard her with a sad smile.  
"To bring peace. My world has known nothing but conflict and war for millenia. I achieved too much to stop now. Too many people depend on me. I simply cannot turn my back on them, even if my time here in your world has been nothing but a blessing."

Amelia nodded sympathetically.  
"I understand."

I suddendly am tackled and just barely manage to keep my footing.  
I look down as two slender arms wrap around me tightly.  
Leanna sobs into my shoulder.  
"I'm so sorry for what you've been through. We'll help you get back to your world, you can count on us!"

The shock of my powers and the sad state of my home must've been too much for her to hold in.  
I smile with utmost gratitude and pat her head.  
"Thank you, Leanna. For everything. I know you will."

She raises her head and looks at me teary eyed and with red cheeks. I think my heart just skipped a beat, she's too cute!  
I cup her cheek with my hand and wipe away a tear with my thumb, all the whilst my own cheeks feel ablaze.  
"I've never failed before, and I do not intent to start that now."

She nods and breaks her embrace.

"On that note, maybe I should open up a rift now."

Amelia grins with excitement.  
"I concur with that suggestion."

"That may be best now that you have the magic."  
Leanna's voice is normal again, seems like she calmed down again.

Zack shrugs and Kara takes a look at our open surroundings.  
"Maybe we should first look for a spot with a bit more cover. We don't want to be opening up rifts on an open pathway."

Leanna nods.  
"Good point."

"There was some tree cover towards the west."

We mumble our affirmations and follow Zack to the trees.  
We settle into the groove of trees. Both Leanna and Amelia stand on either side of me.  
Zack selects a tree far enough away to not be affected by any stray magic, but close enough to get a good view of what's going on.  
Kara, on the other hand, hangs back towards the outskirts of the trees.

Zack looks back at her, an amused smile on his lips.  
"You'll miss the show from back there. You sure you don't want to come any closer?"

Kara's voice is distant.  
"Yup."

There's a bit of movement as she takes another step behind a tree.  
I guess this whole magic portal business makes her nervous. It's understandable since she's not accustomed to magic like Leanna or Amelia.

Amelia studies the notes, then nods to herself and snaps the book shut.  
"The casting is quite simple. It is the same technique as any other cast."

Leanna looks at me.  
"Are you ready?"

I nod determined.

Amelia glances at my stance, then frowns.  
"Your stance is incorrect. Straighten your spine."

Hmm, I naturally slouch a little when using force abilities, guess this is a bit different then. I lenghten my spine and stand as straight as I can.

"Now you are too tense. Keep yourself relaxed but do not slump."

I mentally sigh. Scratch that, I think I actually sighed.  
I release some tension in my back, and stand naturally straight, just the way I normally stand.

She's about to speak again, but Leanna gently pulls Amelia to the side.  
"Okay, I think he gets it."

She steps in front of me and gives me an encouraging smile.  
"Your stance is fine. Just remember to raise your arms in front of you."

I do as she says and raise my arms like I was about to throw some Force Lightning. Leanna nods.

"Now, the actual casting part is going to sound tricky. You'll need to focus your mind on the spell you want to cast."

Sounds like channeling any other Force ability.  
"So, I should just think about temporal rifts?"

She nods again.  
"Yes, but you need to connect that thought with the magic energy."

"Uh..."

"Clear your mind of every thought."

I close my eyes and push away all of my doubts and confusion and focus on Leanna's voice.

"Now think about the rift you want to create."

I imagine tearing a hole in the fabric of reality. I don't actually know what a rift would look like or feel like. All I remember is the bright light...  
Should I focus on that light?

"At the same time, sense for the magic within you."

I try to sense for any kind of magic, but nothing seems out of the ordinary.  
"How do I know where the magic is?"

"It will feel like a tendril of willing warmth. When you find it, reach out for it and grab hold. The magic is eager to be used and will latch on."

This is quite abstract, but I know I can do it. I just have to focus!  
I start to meditade, slowing down my breathing, and turn within. As my breathing becomes slow and steady, I open up my senses for any indication of another presence.

"Once you find the magic, connect your thoughts of the rift with the magic and then channel both the magic and the thoughts through your hands to cast it in the open."

I continue sensing, but I only feel my own connection to the Force, my well-nigh unlimited pool of power. But there has to be something else, so I continue my search.  
Sweat beads on my temples as I strain to cast, but nothing happens.  
Eventually, my arms grow weary and my focus wavers. I decompress with a sigh.  
"It didn't work."

"It's okay, we can try again. People aren't usually able to cast on their first try."

I unconciously raise my hand to my chin.  
"There must still be something I'm missing."

"It just takes some getting used to. Plus, you're trying to cast without a manipulator."

"Oh yeah, both you and Amelia use manipulators to cast. Maybe that's why I wasn't able to do it."

"Well, the manipulator's function is to house the energy scource for us to cast with. Technically, because you already have the energy within you, you shouldn't need a manipulator."

"Hmm, I see."

"But this is all theory anyways. It may be easier trying to cast using a crystal, especially for a first-time caster."

Focus is not exactly my problem, but it might help.

Amelia chimes in.  
"Regardless, there could be a multitude of factors for why this attempt was not successful. One of which could be as simple as the fact that you still not possess enough energy to open the rift."

"Shouldn't the temple have had enough?"  
Although I imagine it takes a tremendous amount of energy to create a rift in the fabric of reality, the temple held a tremendous amount of energy.

"Theoretically, perhaps, but a significant portion of the energy was already being used to sustain the Elemental's image. She was able to transfer what was left of the energy to you, which from my readings was only 20% of the total energy in the temple when we started."

Only one fifth of it's power, hm? And there are, probably, five temples. I have the feeling I know where this is going…

Suddenly, Kara is standing right beside us, as cheerful as ever.  
"That sounds like you all still need to explore some more temples!"

I jump at her presence, I have not felt her coming closer again. Even Leanna and Amelia seem suprised to see her so close. Only Zack is unaffected.  
"How did you get here so fast?"

She grins at me.  
"Am I wrong?"

The pango jumps out of Kara's arms and hops into mine.  
"Poi poi!"

I pat him on the head and he wiggles contently, licking the air around me.

Zack closed in as well.  
"So it could be that he doesn't know how to cast or that he doesn't have enough energy."

"Sure, but what does that mean for you all in terms of next steps? Are you going to hang out in Embermyst until he learns how to cast?"

"It could take him weeks before he can even cast the simplest of spells…  
That is quite the long time to rely on someone else's hospitality."

"Oi, have some faith in me, will ya?"

Leanna and Kara ignore me completely.

"It sounds like it would still be in your best interest to visit at least one more temple just to be sure you have enough energy. You can teach him how to cast on the way so by the time he gets there he'll be ready to go."

Leanna looks thoughtful.  
"That does seem better than the alternative."

"Although I do not appreciate being ignored, I came to the same conlusion. Also, something tells me that I'll have to visit all the temples regardless. Anyhow, it's always good to have all our bases covered."

Amelia nods.  
"That is the most efficient course of action. If we can mitigate any uncertain factors, then we can pinpoint where the weakness is and adjust accordingly for a successful cast. The research this will provide will be very informative."

Hearing Amelia's affirmation, Zack shrugs.  
"Since I'm here to protect Amelia, I go where she goes."

Kara smiles broadly and slings her arms around Zack and Amelia, much to their dismay.  
"Great! Then our agreement is still on."

"Hey!"  
Zack moves out of Kara's grasp. She smirks.  
"Most men would be thrilled to have a pretty woman hug them. Right, Amelia?"

"That is correct. A healthy physique is inherently attractive for potential mates."

Kara lets go and starts to lead the way out of the forest.  
"We should spend the night in Embermyst. We can plan our next steps there."

Once we are in agreement, we follow Kara back to Embermyst.  
Upon arriving, we head to the inn.

"We can spend the night here. I'll meet you back down in the lobby in a few minutes."

Kara ventures upstairs while we secure two rooms with the innkeeper. As we recieve our keys, Amelia excuses herself.  
"I wish to seek an audience with Elder Issim and continue our discussion. I would be remiss to let such an opportunity pass."

"He seems like a good guy, but maybe we keep the fact that I'm not from here a secret."

"Yes, that is something in which we are in agreement."

"Oh, okay."

She nods and moves to leave the inn.

I call out to her again.  
"Amelia?"

She stops and turns around to me again, tilting her head.  
"Yes?"

"I meant to speak with Elder Issim myself as well, but I fear I am too fatigued to have any meaningful discussion. Would you mind sending him my sincerest apology and regards, as well as this?"

I pull out a stone I picked up on our way back earlier. I infused it with my power and placed a Phase Walk mark on it.

She smiles slightly.  
"I don't mind at all. But I am curious why you would give a stone to Elder Issim."

"It's infused with my power. If he concentrates on it while thinking about me, I should be able to answer his call and visit him from time to time. Only if he wants that, of course. Actually, I might should write him a letter to explain that, if you could wait a bit."

Amelia nods and produces a sheet of paper and a pen for me to use.  
"I may wait."

I take the utensils from her and sit down on a table.  
"Thank you. Just give me three minutes."

Amelia nods again and stands patiently besides me while I write.

 _Esteemed Elder Issim,_

 _I apologize for not being able to visit you in person this evening as I said I would. As a token of my appreciation of your help towards us, I send you this stone. It may seem like a normal stone, but I infused it with my own energy, as I am a sorcerer from a land far across the great ocean, beyond Esaria, and our usage of magic differs from yours._  
 _When you focus on the stone and think about me, I should be able to answer your call and visit you again. I could also bring other members of our party along, if you so desire. In case you have no interest in this artifact, please give it back to Amelia, so I can neutralize it._  
 _I hope we will get another chance to speak, as I am sure we can learn much from each other._

 _Yours sincerely,_  
 _Xerath Kallig_

I smirk, three minutes on the dot.  
As I look back up, I notice that Amelia as well as Leanna look over my shoulder and watched me write.  
I fold the letter and give it and the pen to Amelia.  
"Thank you, Amelia."

She smiles and nods.  
"You are welcome."  
She then leaves the inn.

I then turn to look at Leanna and smirk.  
"Saw something interesting?"

She blushes lightly, likely due to being cought watching me.  
"Yes, actually. I'm suprised you have such clean and neat handwriting."

"Well, I trained that as well, actually. Part of me always appearing refined."  
I don't dive deeper, but it was acutally part of Zash's teachings, to appear refined and well mannered. A neat handwriting is as much part of that as an exalted manner of speaking.

"Ah, I see."

Now I finally have the time to look around the inn.  
The decor of the inn is similar to Elder Issim's hut. Pillows and rugs line the ground as a few people sit cross-legged in frond of the fire. A few tables line the other side of the wall, all of which are empty.  
In fact, aside from the couple of people chatting by the fire, this place is very empty.

"I guess they don't see too many visitors here."

"For a city which is supposed to be a secret, that's not suprising. It's more suprising that they even have an inn."

I nod and stiffle a yawn.  
We sit at a table as Zack orders us dinner. After a few minutes, Kara returns.  
"Where's Amelia?"

"She went to speak with Elder Issim."

She nods.

My eyelids droop and I'm stifling yawns every few minutes. My limbs feel heavy and it's taking quite an effort to just sit upright.  
After I let out a wide yawn, Leanna glances over at me.  
"Maybe you should go to bed. We're winding down anyway so it'd be a good idea to get some rest."

"That sounds really good right now. I guess absorbing all that energy really takes it out of you, huh?"

Leanna smiles at my joke.  
"It would seem so."

Regardless, I am grateful for the excuse to leave. I trot upstairs and fumble with the key before opening the door. Then I fall onto one of the twin cots and pass out as soon as my head hits the pillow.

* * *

A/n: To anyone still sticking around, thank you for doing so, and I apologize for the long delay. As you can see, this was the largest chapter this far, with almost 14k words. I also brought in quite a few original moments as well, which took a while until I was satisfied.  
A large part was also me being lazy, sorry about that.  
I also don't know when the next chapter will be out, since there's currently a lot going on in my life, but it will come eventually.

Anyway, thank you for reading, and you may tell me what you think about it. Or don't, your decision.


	7. Days 8 to 10: Embermyst to Stonecrest

Light filters through the window and gently pulls me out of my slumber.  
Slowly, I push myself up in the bed and glance over to see Zack strapping on his dischargers.  
He notices me sit up.  
"Hey."

"Hey."

"So, a god, huh? You were pretty exhausted for one."

I chuckle.  
"Yeah. Although I'm immortal, I still need sleep like everyone else. Funny, huh?"

"Immortal? You know I still don't exactly believe you, right?"

I smirk.  
"I'm aware. I'd be shocked if you did, honestly. It is the truth, though. Maybe I'll find the chance to prove it to you guys."

"I look forward to it, then. We're meeting downstairs in a few minutes, by the way."

"Alright."

As Zack finishes gathering his things, I begin to get ready to go downstairs.

The group gathers down in the lobby. I greet everyone and turn to Amelia.  
"How was your chat with Elder Issim yesterday?"

"We had a very productive discussion. In fact, Elder Issim shared more of his journals with me."  
She indicates the scrolls in her arms.

"Wow, he just gave those to you?"

"No, these are copies I wrote to bring back with me to the academy."

We all stare at Amelia. She spent all night writing those?!

"That's a lot of dedication."  
Kara sounds awestruck, her voice soft.

Amelia continues.  
"Regardless, we discussed more on the theory of temporal rifts and the Elementals, which has only strengthend my concern that we do not have enough energy."

"Then that definitely means we need to seek out another temple."  
Leanna concludes.

"Do we have a lead on where to go?"  
Zack seems to like to know his directions.

"Elder Issim, through his research into the Elementals, did mention that historically, the Gaeans, the people who originally worshipped the earth Elemental used to reside in the central woodlands of Esaria. The Caeli, the people who worshipped the wind Elemental, resided in the northern aerial plains. Therefore, it is most logical that the earth and wind temple will be located in those respective regions."

"What about the water or shadow temple?"  
I'm curious.

She shakes her head.  
"The Aquarians, those who worshipped the water Elemental, depended heavily on the seas. As such, Elder Issim was unable to pinpoint where the cultural hub of their society might have been. As for shadow, that is a complete unknown."

"If the earth temple is somewhere centrally located, then that would be the temple closest to us."

Leanna nods, agreeing with Kara.  
"The fastest way back will be to take the crystalrail, so we should return to Bazada."

With our next course of action in place, we finish up at the inn and get ready to depart. Elder Issim sees us off, much to the delight of Amelia.

"It was good to meet you, and it'd be nice if you'd stop by again, when you can."

"It would be an honour, Elder Issim."  
Amelia lightly bowed again.

I smile.  
"You know we can, and we will. Just send a word my way."

"About that, I'm still skeptical about that stone I recieved."

I nod.  
"Understandable, but there is no need to. I know that you tried it out some ten-odd minutes ago. I recieved your call, was just unable to answer, so to speak. And because you recieved no confirmation, I assumed you'd see us off, personally."

His old eyes widened a bit. A moment later he smiled politely.  
"It would seem you were right. We could really learn some things from each other."

I smile again and give a respectful bow.  
"It truly was an honour meeting you, Elder Issim. I thank you for your hospitality and your help, may our paths cross again."

"Likewise."

When everyone else said their goodbyes, we retreat back through the forest.  
Leanna stays by my side the whole way through, still unsettled by the forest.  
Luckily, or unluckily, depending on ones perspective, nothing unfavourable happens and we quickly make it through.

As we return to Bazada, I can hear the raucous sounds of the marketplace city long before I can see it.

We pass through the familiar city gates and return to the early bustle of the city.  
Kara speaks up.  
"Let's pause here and take a moment to restock. There are a few items I'd like to pick up which might be helpful."

Leanna answers.  
"Good idea. Why don't we all make sure we have everything we need and then meet at the crystalrail station."

We all agree and split up. I spend some time browsing through the stalls again.  
I didn't find anything particulary interesting, so I head over to the station to meet back up with the group.  
I'm the first one to arrive, but Kara shows up only a few minutes later.  
As the rest of the team gradually trickles in, Kara peers at the station list.  
"The end of the line is Stonecrest so that's where we should go. Once we arrive there, I'll scout around and find our next course of action."

Leanna speaks up.  
"We want to reach as close to central as possible so traveling to the end of the crystalrail is a good first step."

Once we had a semblance of a plan put together, we purchased our tickets.  
Well, I've worked with less.

After the train pulls into the station, we all board and begin our journey.

We find our cabin quickly this time, although the pango was faster once again.  
It's as comfy as our last cabin, although bigger, as our group grew.  
We'll have a lot of time on our hands, so we could use it. I'm sure they have a few questions about me.  
After everyone settled in I clear my throat.  
"Well, I'm sure you guys have a question or two for me, and now we have the time to adress them. Feel free to ask."

Amelia immediately raises her hand.

I chuckle.  
"You don't have to raise your hand, Amelia. Just ask away."

She nods.  
"Very well. Yesterday you mentioned, that the source of your power is similar to our own. Would you elaborate on that?"

"Of course. For beginners, I heard that you use crystals, that are naturally infused with magic energy. Is that correct?"

"Yes, that is correct."

"Well, then, do you know how those crystals are made? What makes them, well, _magical_?"

Amelia shakes her head.  
"That is still subspect to research. All we know is that they form naturally."

I slowly nod my head.  
"I think that's where my power comes in. You see, I, and by extension every 'magic user' of my world, draws strenght from something we know as the Force."

I notice their looks and raise my hands slightly.  
"I know, I know, pretty original, right? Not my idea, though, and it fits suprisingly."

I drop my hands in my lap again.  
"Well, the Force is, in simple terms, a living energy that connects _everything_. Every matter, every living being, and apparently even every different world is connected through the Force. And in my world, only a small part of the people actually feel their connection to the Force. Those are being called Force sensitive."

Amelia speaks slowly, still processing the information.  
"But in our world generally everyone can learn to cast magic."

"I know, and that made me quite curious. But... Tell me, is everyone equally talented? Are there some who try to become mages, but simply _can't_?"

Leanna chimes in.  
"Now that you mention it, yes. There are those more talanted than others, who can learn faster or cast stronger spells, for example. There are also plenty students who leave after the first semester, because they cannot cast. And that's not taking all those rejected applicants into concideration."

I smirk.  
"That's what I mean. Even on your world are people with a strong connection, and those without. For one, I am able to feel a person's presence in the Force, and Amelia has quite a strong one. Even stronger than Leanna. And when we were in the Mage Academy, the students there had a generally small presence."

Amelia tilts her head.  
"In what margin?"

"Hmm, the students would be like large candles, some burning brighter than others. Leanna would be like lit torch. But you, Amelia, are like a starting bonfire."

All of them look at me with differing degrees of shock.

Leanna speaks up first.  
"So you think Amelia's stronger than me?"

Is she… jealous?  
I shake my head.  
"I didn't say that. Right now, you are clearly stronger, because of your expertise and swordsmanship. However, Amelia's connection to the Force and especially her potencial is far greater."

Amelia looks at me curiously.  
"If you compare me to a starting bonfire, how would you descripe your connection?"

"On that scale? A forest fire spanning a continent or two, on a forest planet."

Their gazes are full of doubt. Can't really blame them.

"Honestly, my connection, coupled with my power level, is so strong that _everyone_ on this planet, probably even several systems further, would notice me, if I wouldn't supress it. Even those who are not Force sensitive."

Leanna looks at me apologetic.  
"I'm sorry, but that is quite hard to believe."

I raise my hand to stop her.  
"I am aware of that, no need to apologize. I'd like to prove it to you, but now is not the time to reveal my presence here. I also don't know if that time will ever come, as there are too many variables."

Amelia asks again.  
"What do you mean with 'variables'?"

I scratch my head.  
"Well, to explain that would require a rather lenghty explanation beforehand."

Suprisingly, Zack speaks up.  
"I mean, it's not that we anything better to do. And really much time."

I nod.  
"True..."

I grow quiet as I contemplate where to start.  
The others look at me expectantly.  
Finally, I start again.  
"Okay, going back to the Force, one part I should mention is that there are several aspects. Basically there is the Light side, and the Dark side. And from what I've discovered so far, my hypothesis is that your elements represent those sides. That is also why shadow magic is concidered so much stronger than any other elemental magic, because shadow magic represents the Dark side of the Force, while all the other four together represent the Light side of the Force. And an important fact is that the Force always tries to keep a balance. Like a scale, so to speak."

I fall silent as I let that information sink in a bit.  
Amelia is the first to speak up again.  
"And from where do you draw yor power?"

I smirk.  
"Well, both sides, more or less. Most of my techniques originate in the Dark side, but I also know many Light side ones as well. As for my strenght itself, I have a different view on the Force than most. I found the truth behind it, the Force isn't a scale with two different sides. It's a coin. The Light side and Dark side are merely two sides of the same medal. And I walk that small fin between them. That's where I draw my power from, not from one side or another, but from the Force as a whole. The Force expresses itself in the Light side and Dark side, but it is so much more than that."

They all fall silent again.  
Amelia mumbles quietly.  
"Most interesting."

After a few moments of contemplation, Leanna brings us back to the topic.  
"So, back to those 'variables' you mentioned…?"

I nod.  
"Of course. But first, please tell me what you all know about astronomy. What is the current knowledge in your world?"

They all share a look, unsure where I want to go with that.  
Suprisingly, Zack is the one first to answer.  
"Well, we know that our world is round, and not flat."

Kara chimes in.  
"Yeah, it was also proven that our planet rotates around the sun, and not the other way around. Although there still are many who don't believe that."

Amelia speaks up next.  
"That is correct. It was also recently found out that the stars we see in the night are quite similar to our sun, just incredibly far away."

Leanna perks up as well.  
"That's right! I also read recently, that it's hypothesized all, or most of those stars have planets on their own."

Zacks gaze turns to me.  
"Where do you want to go with that?"

I smile.  
"Well, you're all right. Everything you said is true. Let me elaborate the rest."

They all look at me, curiosity filling their gazes. Even Zacks.

"As you stated, there are many, many stars out there. Each, or at least almost each one holds several planets in it's gravity well. Such a constillation is called a System. And a really, really, _really_ large group of Systems held together by other gravitational forces is called a Galaxy. So that's basically the gist of it. You got that so far?"

I recieve a round of nods.

"Good. And, well, my world is not technically a planet, because in my world, the whole Galaxy is colonized."

They blink, once. Then twice.  
I take out my holocom and open the saved map of the Galaxy, projecting the holographic image into the room.  
Placing it on the table, I continue.  
"You see here the map of my Galaxy. Or what is known of it, at least."

Their eyes are wide with wonder.  
Amelia is the first to speak, unsuprisingly.  
"What is this. How does this work?"

"It's a Holocom. A personal communicator with a holographic display. A simple piece of technology. Well, simple for us, that is."

"Fascinating."

I smile.  
"I sometimes forget my world is so much more advanced than yours, at least regarding technology. I'm sorry if I'm overloading you with information."

Kara chimes in.  
"Nah, it's fine. It may be a bit much to take in at once, but it sure is interesting. Please, do go on."

I give her a court nod.  
"Sure."  
Pointing to the map, I give them a rundown of galactic geography. I explain the important regions like the Core, the Mid Rim, Outer Rim, the Unknown Regions and Wild Space.  
I then continue with the concept of Hyperdrive in its most barebone sense.  
"As you can see, the Galaxy is a really, _really_ large space, so we need to travel fast to get anywhere. And there come ships with a Hyperdrive into the picture."

After noting their slightly confused glances I clarify.  
"Not ships in the way of sailing boats. I mean spaceships."

I change the galactic map to a hologram of my Fury-class.  
"There are countless types and variations of ships in my Galaxy, differing in form and sizes, built for different purposes. Ranging from small one-seatet fighter crafts to huge battleships."

I change the models according to my explanation. A NovaDive here, a Harrower-class there.  
"But regardless of their size, they have some things in common: Life-Support, of course, shields and weapons, but most importantly sub-light engines and Hyperdrives.  
Hyperdrives accelarate a ship fast enough to enter Hyperspace. Hyperspace, in turn, is simply put an alternate dimension in which the known laws of physics don't work.  
One can essentially travel faster than light, which is impossible in Realspace."

I pause and take a look at their confused faces. Can't hold it against them, really.  
"It's alright if that's too much, it's not that important. As long as you get the picture."

They nod to that.

"My point is, the whole Galaxy is colonized. Or mostly, at least. And politically speaking, there are three powerhouses. The Galactic Republic, the Sith Empire, and the Hutt Cartel.  
The Hutts are basically the overlords of organized crime in the Galaxy, so I'm not going into detail about them."  
As I list the factions I mark their realms on the map.

"The Republic and the Empire on the other hand... Well, as you can tell by their names, they have contradicting forms of goverment, and as such contradicting mindsets.  
The Republic is, well, a democratic republic where the citizens have a vote to their elected leaders. A good concept, in theory. The sheer size of the Republic makes it a buerroucratic mess filled with corrupt politicians though, and thus renders it highly ineffective.  
The Empire, on the other hand, is lead by a single person, or entity, rather. The Sith Emperor. Again, theoretically, because the situation with the Emperor is complicated.  
In his absence the Dark Council holds the Empire together, a group of the strongest Sith.  
But only until recently, as one woman seized control for herself and is now the new Empress.  
Do you follow to this point?"

They slowly but surely nod their heads.  
Only Amelia raises her voice again.  
"The concept of a republic and an empire are easy to understand, but who do you mean with 'Sith'?"

"That's my next point. The Sith and the Jedi. Remember what I said about Force sensitives? Well, those in the influence of the Empire are trained to become Sith, and those in the influence of the Republic are trained to become Jedi.  
Sith are, stereotypically, users of the Dark side. They are in many cases sadistic evil doers and think only about their own gain. They yearn for power, no matter the cost.  
Jedi are their counterpart. Users of the Light side, they fight for peace and want to banish the evil, namely the Sith.  
Their codes represent their general mindset."

I let my voice echo ethereally as I recite the codes.  
" _ **Peace is a lie. There is only passion.**_  
 _ **Through passion I gain strength.**_  
 _ **Through strength I gain power.**_  
 _ **Through power I gain victory.**_  
 _ **Through victory my chains are broken.**_  
 _ **The Force shall free me.**_ "

I make a small pause to let that sink in, then continue.  
" ** _There is no emotion, there is peace._**  
 ** _There is no ignorance, there is knowledge._**  
 ** _There is no passion, there is serenity._**  
 ** _There is no chaos, there is harmony._**  
 ** _There is no death, there is the Force._** "

With my voice returning to normal I conclude.  
"Well, I let you decide which one belongs to whom."

Amelia is the first to speak up, unsuprisingly.  
"I assume the first one belongs to those Sith, who seek strenght. That means that the other one is from the Jedi. Am I correct?"

I nod.  
"You are."

Leanna chimes in.  
"B-but what do you mean with 'there is no death, there is the Force'? Do you mean something like ghosts? That can't be true, right? Why would anyone believe in that?"

Her voice grows shriller again, and she looks pale.  
I feared this would happen.  
Well, I had to break it down to her sometime, but I try my best to be gentle about it.  
"The Jedi believe that everything is connected to the Force, that life is an expression of it. So, following that logic, they believe that in death one will return to the Force.  
That is about the only part of their codex that's actually acurate."

Leanna slowly shakes her head in disbelief.  
"Stop it, Xerath. Please, it's not funny anymore."

I gently take her hand in mine, look her straight in the eyes and project a soothing aura for good measure.  
"I know that this topic is scaring you, Leanna, but you have nothing to fear. Something like Force Ghosts do exist, but they tend to keep to themselves. A Force Ghost is the mind of a strong Force Sensitive who died, but doesn't want to become one with the Force and lingers in our realm. They are generally harmless, unless you seek them out specially.  
I know you fear ghosts, even if I may not know why, but I assure you that you are safe from them as long as I am with you. Although I'd probalby be the only reason you'd ever meet one in the first place."

I mumbled the last part.

Zack raises an eyebrow.  
"Are you actually serious?"

I turn my head to him.  
"Absolutely. As a matter of fact, I once borrowed the power of several Force Ghosts. By now I absorbed their power completely as my own."

"I... really don't know if you're saying the truth or are just completely insane."

I chuckle.  
"Understandable. I am sure I am sane, though. For now, at least."

Kara chimes in.  
"What do you mean 'for now'?" Do you plan to go insane?"

"Of course not, but I've seen people break after way less than I've been through, or become corrupted by way less power than I am wielding. I try very hard to keep myself together, to hold onto my goals and beliefs, but even I have my limits."

I only now realize I never let go of Leannas hands, because she squeezes mine.  
I turn to her and she gives me that sweet smile of hers.  
She seems still a bit shaken, but it seems like I managed to calm her down and reassure her.  
I smile back and also squeeze her hands lightly.

Amelia decides to ignore our moment, or she simply didn't notice it.  
"If I may ask, how were you able to 'absorb' ghosts and why did you do that in the first place?"

Finally, and sadly, letting go of Leannas hands, I turn to Amelia.  
"You may. Well, the why is a rather long story.  
In short, I got a new, powerful master who wanted to kill me.  
I didn't want to die, though, so I had to grow in power fast so I could beat him.  
My ancestor pointed me to a ghost knowing an ancient ritual with which one can bind a ghost to oneself to claim those powers for himself, either by force or through a contract.  
So I went there, learned that ritual, and ran around the galaxy literally collecting ghosts.  
I managed to come to mutual agreements with them, thus forming contracts.  
I would help them with whatever was holding them there, and they would help me defeat my master.  
I confronted the master, but could not control the massive new powers of the ghosts, which they promtly used to take over my body.  
After some time I was able to control those powers, and in time have bested my master.  
The ghosts approached me, demanding their freedom, but they had broken the contract, betrayed me, so I absorbed them completely."

All of the guys were flabbergasted.  
Can't really blame them, I've been through and done some really weird shit.

Leanna is the first to speak up, pale still. She may be putting on a brave front, but that whole topic still makes her uncomfortable.  
"What kind of master would want to kill his subordinates? And what do you mean with 'your ancestor pointed you the way'?"

I chuckle dryly.  
"A Sith master, that's who. I was found in Sith jurisdiction, so my whole training progress was mostly do or die. Idiotic, anything but productive, but hey, that was their fling.  
And, yeah, as it turned out I am the descendant of an old and powerful Sith Lord, who was appearently woken out of his rest by me moving closer to his rest or something. After that he seeked me out and always tried to help me the best he could."

I smile melancholic.  
"It's a bit sad that the only supportive family I ever knew was a ghost, but that's still better then nothing, I guess."

Kara speaks up.  
"What do you mean? Didn't you have a family?"

I shrug.  
"None I remember. My parents were slaves, so I was born as a slave as well. My parents died after I was a few years old due to a cave-in. I was only freed from being a slave after my Force Sensitivity was found by the Sith. And even then it was not exactly better. At least in the beginning."

They have similar reactions. Leanna and Kara hold their hands over their mouths, Amelia's mouth is agape with shock, and even Zack is visibly shocked.  
He is also the first to speak up again.  
"I- We had no idea. That's some heavy stuff."

The pango was quite absent in this conversation, until now.  
He nuzzles me in the side, and I pat his head.

Kara immediatly turns in.  
"Yes, I'm so sorry I brought that up."

I raise my hand.  
"Don't be. You couldn't know. Also, that is way in the past. I'm over it. Mostly."

Leanna once again graps hold of my hand and squeezes it.  
As I turn to her, she gives me another heartwarming smile before speaking up.  
"You told us about the codes of the Jedi and the Sith, but which one do you follow, what do you believe in?"

I squeeze back and smile, grateful for the chance to change the topic.  
"Ah, yes. Well, there is truth in both codes. There is no death, only the Force, and the Force did indeed free me.  
However, other than that, they are quite flawed, especially the Jedi code. I follow another code, one more balanced, one I found for myself."

I once again let my voice echo ethereally.  
" _ **Flowing through all, there is balance.**_  
 _ **There is no peace without a passion to create.**_  
 _ **There is no passion without peace to guide.**_  
 _ **Knowledge stagnates without the strength to act.**_  
 _ **Power blinds without the serenity to see.**_  
 _ **There is freedom in life.**_  
 _ **There is purpose in death.**_  
 _ **Because there is no death, only the Force.**_  
 _ **The Force is all things and I am the Force.**_ "

Amelia perks up, smiling slightly.  
"Yes, this does sound like it combines the best aspects of both codes. It also does sound like you, and holds a suprising amount of truths."

I raise an eyebrow.  
"Hmm? What exactly do you mean?"

"Well, peace is only possible if the people want to create something instead of destroying it, for example. Additionally, history teaches us enough about individuals holding great power becoming corrupted by it, _blinded_ by it."

I smile appreciatingly, and a bit proudly.  
"Exactly. And with me following this code, I can keep myself in check. To not use my powers randomly, to not act impulsively, and so on."

Barely finished with my sentence I stiffle a yawn.  
Taking a glance out the window I notice the sun is setting.

"Well, it's getting quite late. I suggest we call it a night here."

Leanna perks up.  
"Agreed. We still have the whole day tomorrow, and about half a day after that before we arrive in Stonecrest."

I groan.  
"What? There's still one and a half day ahead of us trapped in this train? Urrgh… Although, I guess there are worse things than chilling with you guys in a comfy cabin."  
I finished that sentence with a charming smile.  
I am quite fond of this little group of friends I gathered.

Kara chimes in.  
"Awwww, we like you, too, God Guy! Isn't that right?"

Amelia nods, the ghost of a smile on her lips.  
"Indeed."

Leanna blushes and stutters.  
"W-What are you saying, Kara?"

She just tilts her head innocently, but her eyes betray her with a teasing shimmer.  
"What do you mean? Is he not your friend?"

"Huh, what? Of course he is!"

Karas smile becomes almost predatory.  
"Unless… he is something more to you?"

Don't do that. Don't give me hope.

By now Leanna is a blushing mess.  
"Kara!"

I, myself, have folded my hands in front of my face to hide my own blush.  
Doing that I take a glance at Zack, who looked at me as well.  
He reaches out his fist.  
"You're not half bad."

I take his sign and reach out as well to the fist bump.  
"You as well. You're actually a real bro, you know that?"

The ghost of a smirk is playing on his lips.  
"Thanks."

"By the way, Kara, I veto that nickname."

"What? Why?!"

"I have enough titles and names people call me. I'd prefer it if you guys could call me by my name."

"Hmm, alright, then."

"With that being out of the way, I wish you all a good night."

I turn into a comfortable position to sleep under a few varieties of 'Good night, Xerath'.  
That discussion today took more out of me than I thought. I'm out after a few minutes.

...

...

...

The next day we spent mostly playing cards and bantering.  
Amelia once again manages to get under Zacks skin.  
Kara is also a suprisingly good player. Altough I think I should have seen that coming.  
Otherwise they refrained from asking anything personal. They most likely don't want to open any old wounds of mine, which I appreciate.  
And the atmosphere isn't even forced. All in all a fun day filled with laughter.  
Just what I needed after the suprisingly emotional conversation yesterday.  
Plus, more fundings for me is always good. Although I should seek out an income that doesn't involve ripping my friends off.  
Well, I'm not exactly ripping them off, as I play fair, but the point still stands.

...

...

...

After travelling on the train for two days, we finally arrive in the city.  
I squint at the mid-day sun and join the others as we quickly disembark the train, grateful for a chance to stretch our legs.

Kara announces our arrival.  
"Here we are: Stonecrest."

She pulls her arms overhead in a stretch, forcing her chest out. Zack's eyes are immediately drawn to her.  
She smirks at Zack who quickly averts his gaze and stares hard at a random cobble on the street.

The town doesn't differ much from the other towns we've seen so far.  
It is made up of the same stone buildings and cobblestone paths.  
Although I have to admit that the architecture on this planet is unlike anything I've seen so far.  
People wander in and out of the shops, going about their daily lives.

The first thing we do is find and enter the inn.

"Alright, so now that we're here, how do we figure out where to go next?"  
I'd like to make some progress.

Kara grins.  
"Just leave it to me. I'll ask around and see if I can come up with anything."

"I'll keep my eyes and ears open just in case I hear something too."

Kara shakes her head at Leanna's remark.  
"You should relax and enjoy the city. I've got some contacts I'm going to reach out to so I've got this."

"Oh, well, if you're sure…"

Kara nods.  
"I already have a few ideas and leads based on some of my previous scoutings for temples and hidden relics."

Leanna seems finally convinced.  
"Okay, then let's meet back here in a few hours to regroup."

Zack throws in his comment.  
"Works for me."

Amelia nods distractedly.

"Now that we have something of a plan, I'll be heading off."

"Me too."

Kara and Leanna leave while everyone else stirs.  
I don't have anything pressing to do. I wonder if I can help or spend some time with someone.  
Kara seems to already have an idea of where she wants to go.  
Maybe I can hang out with Leanna.

I check the surrounding streets and come upon a statue.  
Leanna stands right in front of it.

"Hey."

She smiles as I approach.  
"Hey."

I look back at the statue of a woman. She stands in regal pose, overlooking the town square.  
She's decked out in armor with a sword hanging by her side.

"Who is that?"

"That is Alaina Vale. She was a Mage-Knight who fought to protect her city against the advancement of VOID."  
Leanna's eyes sparkle with admiration as she looks at the statue.  
She tucks a lock of hair behind her ear.

"That is quite admirable. I guess she is from here?"

Leanna nods.  
"She was still studying at the Academy to become a Mage-Knight but happened to be home when VOID attacked.  
They didn't have the same type of training regimen in place back then as we do now. Normal townsfolk weren't trained or prepared to fight in a battle and it was absolute chaos.  
Scouts by the gate spotted the advancement of a VOID troop coming to town, which caused panic. Alaina quickly took charge and tried to calm the people down.  
Thinking on her feet, she asked for volunteers to help evacuate families from the city and others to help set up barricades and defenses in town to slow the VOID advancement.  
Those who stayed to fight knew what the consequences would be, but Alaina's unfaltering bravery rallied them. Together, they found whatever they could to block off the streets and alleyways. That way, they could at least try to control where the fights happen.  
And then VOID entered the town."

My face is grim, and I just now notice that I have closed my fists.  
"That must have been a bloodbath."

Leanna grimaced.  
"It wasn't pretty. These weren't trained soldiers, but still, they persevered for their town.  
Alaina and a team of guards sought out the leader of VOID, who was hidden in the back lines. They used hidden passageways in the town to quickly reach him.  
Using her magic and training, she was a formidable match during the skirmish, and at one point, she even had the upper hand.  
When the leader realized he may be cut down, he cowardly tried to retreat.  
He cast a line of shadow fire between himself and Alaina, which stretched across the road. It burned both any VOID followers and townsmen alike who were caught in the crossfire."

Detestable. Absolutely detestable.

She begins to speak in awe.  
"But that did not stop Alaina. She leaped through the dark flames and ran her sword straight through him!"

My mouth drops. An impressive display of courage.  
"That is so badass!"

Leanna grins broadly, her eyes sparkling.  
"It was! And a huge morale boost for anyone who witnessed it too."

"I can imagine. She literally jumped through fire. I'm assuming that was the fatal blow that killed the leader?"

Leanna nods.  
"Unfortunately, shadow fire is far more deadly than normal fire… and it proved to be fatal."

She sacrificed herself to safe the people of her town. That is highly admirable.  
"What happened then?"

"With the VOID leader defeated, the rest of the followers broke down and either fled or surrendered.  
Thanks to Alaina, this town wasn't taken over."

An enthralling tale. I wonder, though…  
"You seem to know a lot about her."

Leanna brightens up again.  
"Of course, she's such an inspiration! There aren't many Mage-Knights who are women. While Alaina may not have been one of the heroes of Esaria, who defeated and ended the conflict with VOID, she still made just as big an impact to the people of this town.  
To me, Alaina embodies what it means to be a Mage-Knight. Being a Student didn't stop her. She still did everything possible to protect those who needed it."

"Is that why you became a Mage-Knight?"

"It's one of the reasons. Alaina showed me that no deed is too small to make an impact on someone. As a Mage-Knight, I get send on missions all across Havengarde. I feel like I can make more of a difference than if I were just a research mage."

She grins.  
"Plus, getting to travel around and meeting new people isn't so bad."

"How does your family feel about you traveling so much?"  
I know it doesn't compare, but if I tried something like that, the ones that come closest to my family would be up the wall.

"While they don't think it's ideal, it's something they're already used to."

"Oh?"  
I know her tone. She's trying to find words that are true, but not too in-depth. There seems to be more to it.

Leanna nods.  
"My older brother is also a Mage-Knight."

"Oh, so you kind of followed in his footsteps?"

"I guess you could say that."

"Do you two get along?"

She thinks, then nods slowly.  
"Yeah, we do actually."

"He must have been really happy to hear you've become a Mage-Knight as well."

Leanna shifts her gaze away and smoothes her skirt. When she looks back up, she seems too cheerful.  
"Well, that's a long enough break! I should go and help Kara with the search. I know she said we didn't have to but investigating is part of what I do.  
I'll meet you back at the inn!"

That was a fast change in her demeanor. I can take a hint, seems like her family is a sensitive subject.  
I have some ideas but I don't want to jump to conclusions. She will tell me when she's comfortable enough.  
"Alright, I'll keep looking around as well."

She flashes me one last smile before quickly disappearing down the street.  
I guess I'd better get a move on as well.  
With that done, I think about my next steps.

I wonder what Amelia is doing.  
I make a big loop around the town but don't find her anywhere. Racking my brain, I try to think of things Amelia would be interested in.  
Probably a library or a museum or something else she could learn something. I make another lap around town but don't find those places.  
Well, I'm making no progress just wandering around… I better return to the inn.  
I make my way back, and am suprised to see a familiar set of pigtails sitting quietly at one of the tables.

Amelia looks up at me as I approach her.  
"Greetings."

"Hey..."

She makes no indication to speak again.  
Guess I have to, then.  
"What are you doing here?"

"I am awaiting the rest of our group at our designated meeting point."

"Right, but we still have a lot of time before the others are going to show up."

She blinks.  
"Yes, I'm well aware of that information."

"Don't you want to explore the town?"

"No."

I continue to stare at her so she explains.  
"I do not possess the contacts of Kara to pursue a lead on our next destination, nor are there any familiar channels of leisure for me in this city.  
The only option available is to reconvene with the rest of the group. Hence, I'm awaiting everyones return."

Yeah, I haven't found anything that might interest her, hence why I haven't found her in town either.  
However…  
"Whilst I truly have found nothing that obviously might interest you, there has to be something fun to do around here."

She shakes her head.  
"From my understanding, there is no library or museum."

I nod.  
"Haven't found them either. Are those the only places you've looked for, though?"

She nods.

"Fun could mean more than just that. Have you tried looking for a place with games or something?"

She cocks her head to the side and looks at me curiously.

"Uh, you know like..."  
I pause as I try to think of what types of games would be in this world. Arcades? Probably not. Maybe stuff you'd find at a fair?  
Even the stuck-up nobles of Kaas City know some games for a fair. Even if it's mostly to cater to the children...  
"Um, ring toss or knife throwing or whack-a-womp rat."

Amelia pauses.  
"Perhaps you are describing a 'carnival'?"

"Yeah, that's it! Probably."

"I did not seek out that information, but I believe I may know the location of what you are seeking."

"Really? That's great! We should go. It's been so long since I've been to one."

She pauses as she thinks, then gets to her feet.  
"I suppose frequenting an establishment such as that could be considered a form of learning."

I nod.  
"That's right. One can learn in more ways than just the academic one. Let's go!"

Amelia exits the inn and heads confidently out into the streets. I keep up as she turns into side streets, and before long she pauses infront of an open alley.  
It reminds me of the fairs and carnevals we have back home, in civilazed space.  
People setup their stalls along the sides, but instead of selling their wares, they advertize adctivities.  
There are stalls offering targets to test your skills, like weapons throwing or stalls which will guess your weight or age.

Amelia glances at me.  
"Is this what you were suggesting?"

I nod.  
"More or less what I had in mind. This is even better than I imagined, however.  
Which one do you want to check out?"

"I am content to merely observe."

I frown slightly.  
"That's not fun. You should try one. Besides, one learns more by doing something instead of just watching."

She seems to concider my words, but doesn't seem to be interested in choosing. I guess that means I'll just have to choose for her.  
Maybe we should go for something more engaging like target throwing.  
Looking around at those stalls, I don't recognise what half of these options are.  
There's something with floating circles and something else with bottles.  
I pause when I see the stall with blasters, or dischargers as they are called here.  
Finally something I recognise. This shouldn't be too different from the shooting ranges back home.  
"Let's try shooting the dischargers!"

Amelia gives me a strange look. Does my enthusiasm seem weird?  
"An interesting choice."

Her tone suggests this is not something she'd try on her own, but she follows me to the stand anyway.  
The man behind the counter grins at us.  
"Think you have what it takes to win? Hit three out of five shots to win a prize."

I turn to Amelia.  
"You ready?"

"Perhaps if you attempt it first I can observe you and then attempt it myself."

I raise a brow.  
"Are you trying to tell me a discharger is too difficult for you?"

Amelia shakes her head dismissively.  
"Nonsense. Dischargers are merely a simple tool. I, on the other hand, have extensive magic training.  
This is nothing more than an exercise in coordination. I will attempt it."

"That'll be two coins, miss."

Before she can place the coins on the counter, I flip him the coins.  
"I convinced you to it, this round is on me."

Amelia looks suprised, but nods.  
"Thank you."

The shopkeeper meanwhile took the coins and swapped it out with a discharger.  
"There are five rounds loaded in there. Have at it."

Amelia clutches the discharger and holds it in front of her. She squints one eye as she lines up her aim. Then she squeezes the trigger.  
A bolt of energy shoots out of the barrel, and Amelia lets out a small gasp at the kickback.  
The shot is wide and she misses the target.  
Amelia's eyes are also wide as she studies the discharger with interest.  
"How curious."

"Could it be that you never shot one of these before?"

She nods.  
"The opposing force was... unanticipated.  
…This time I will be prepared."

She lines up her aim and fires again. Anticipating the kickback, she fights to keep her aim straight, but can't stop the slight jerk of the weapon.  
Again her shot misses.  
She frowns and seems suprised at herself, as if she can't believe that she's continuing to miss.  
She fires again, but aims too high and misses. Then fires once more and shoots wide. For her final shot, she aims too low and misses again.  
Her face falls when she realises she's all out of shots.

It's frustrating not to be able to do exactly as your brain tells you, especially for someone as logical and analytical as Amelia. That last round must have been really unsatisfying.

"Good try, miss, but unfortunately-"

Amelia interrupts him by placing more coins on the counter.  
"I would like another attempt."

I'm a bit suprised by the determination in her voice. But then again, she found a challenge, so I guess it's not that suprising.

"As you wish."  
He takes the coins and resets the discharger with more rounds.

Amelia fires again and again, but never quite hits the targets.  
She throws down the discharger and raises her bracelet, an unusual fire in her eyes. They begin to glow.

I call out to her.  
"Hey! What are you doing?"

"I will hit the traget."  
Her emphasis on hit.

"You've got to use the dischargers!"

"This discharger is clearly defective and not utilising the energy properly! I will use my magic to prove it to you."

My voice softens.  
"I have no doubt in your skills casting magic, but shooting a discharger is a new skill. You shouldn't give up."

Amelia doesn't react.

"Are you really going to let a measly little discharger get the best of you? The more you shoot it, the better your aim will be and you'll be hitting those targets in no time."

As she considers my words, her jaw unclenches and she lowers her aim.  
She picks up the discharger again with new resoluteness. As she lines up the shot, she takes her time before shooting.  
This time her shot is much closer to the target. Amelia nods, as if confirming something to herself.  
She shoots again, and her shot is even closer to the target!  
On her last shot, her face hardens as determination sets in.  
This time, she painstakingly lines up her shot and steadies her grip. As she pulls the trigger, she uses her body to help her keep steady from the kickback and her shot hits the target.  
Her eyes light up as she throws her arms in the air and hops up and down with excitement.  
"I hit it! I hit it! Did you see?"

She turns to me with a big smile on her face as she jumps excitedly. Her pigtails bounce along with her and she claps her hands.  
Sometimes I forget just how young she really is. I can't help my equally big smile.  
Plus it's always a great feeling to finally accomplish something that was too hard.  
I just can't help myself but ruffle her hair whilst matching her grin.  
"Yeah, I have! That was a great shot!"

She squirms as if she still can't believe she made it.  
Suddenly, her face turns red and she freezes. I see the moment of embarrassment on her face and I retract my hand before she resumes her usual blank stare.  
"Ahem, I meant it was only a matter of time before I got the correct calculations.  
A-Anyway, I shall return in a moment."

She rushes off in a hurry towards the ladies room, probably to recompose herself.

"I guess I'll wait here, then."

She still didn't win that prize though…  
Maybe I can win it for her.  
I adress the shopkeeper.  
"Hey, I'd like to give it a go as well."

It's been many years since I've last used a blaster, back in the mines to shoot Womp rats that got too close to sensitive gear, but it should be quite similar.  
I place my coins on the table and the man hands me a discharger.  
The first round misses as I familiarize myself with the weapon.  
Concentration. I aim carefully.  
My second attempt hits the target as does my third.  
Unfortunately, my next attempt misses as I misjudge my aim.  
This is it...  
I steady my aim and fire.  
My aim is true and I hit the target!

"Yes!"

I put down the discharger and pump my fist before me.  
The man grins.  
"Nicely done! Well, here's your prize. Congratulations."

He hands me a pink pango plushie.

"Thanks."

Amelia returns and her eyes grow wide when she sees my plushie.  
"How did you aqquire this?"

"It's the prize from the game."

She looks at me suprised and seems impressed.  
"You attempted the game and you were successful?"

"Yes."

"I see…"

She eyes the discharger booth again. I hold out the plushie.  
"This is for you."

She blinks.  
"But you earned this."

"With the intention to give it to you. Besides, I already have a Pango, I don't need another one."

I place the plushie in her hands.  
"Let's check out another stall."

"Okay."

I turn around and begin walking, but not before I catch the small smile on Amelia's face as she hugs the plushie close to her.  
As we wander the stands, I think about Amelia and her Mage-Caster program.  
"So, I've been wondering, as a student at the Mage Academy, won't coming on this advanture with us affact your classes, I believe it is called?"

"That is not an issue for me as I do not have classes."

"You don't?"

She shakes her head.

"Oh, then what have you been working on?"

"My research studies. A significant component to becoming a Mage-Caster is research study.  
That is my focus and basis for participating on our travels."

"So you just have to document research of a subject area of your choice and you're done?"

"To put it so plainly does a disservice to the amount of effort in formally achieving the status of Mage-Caster, but ultimately, you are correct."

I raise my hand.  
"I'm sorry if I offended you. I did not intend to belittle your efforts. However, I know how cabable you are, so why haven't you done that already?"

She nods, accepting my apology.  
"It is not so simple. I had taken into consideration furthering the research on temporal rifts and the other parallel worlds, but such an endeavor would have been fruitless without an avenue for further research."

That explains her fascination with Elder Issim and Embermyst.  
"And then I came along…"

She smiles.  
"Precisely."

I return her smile.  
"I do hope I'm more to you than a research opportunity. Aren't you worried the Mage Academy will come looking for you, though?"

She nods once.  
"You are a trusted companion. After departing the Academy, I did ensure that a notification would reach my professors to inform them that I am currently traveling on a research study.  
These studies are quite numerous and common amidst my peers."

"I see."

Amelia pauses in front of a stall.  
"Shall we attempt this activity?"

"Sure."

We spend some more time trying out the other stalls before we decide to leave. I even managed to win another small plushie. I hope Leanna will like it.  
Amelia returns to the inn, but I decide to stay out a little longer.  
With that done, I think about my next steps.  
Kara didn't want any help, and I wouldn't know where to look for her, so there's one option left.

Based on previous patterns, it shouldn't be difficult to figure out where Zack went.  
I make my way back to the inn shortly after Amelia.

To my suprise, Zack isn't standing in front of the bounty board. Instead, he sits alone at a table, nursing a tankard.  
Looks like Zack's starting early. I'm sure if I join him that'll be my entire day.  
It also doesn't really sound like my kind of thing. I've never been into drinking and I don't intend to change that now.

Besides, I'm kind of tired and there's nothing else that catches my eye.  
I spot Amelia sitting alone at a table and head to her.

She looks up at my approach.

"Mind if I join you in waiting?"

She shakes her head and gestures for me to sit.  
I meditate a bit and she goes over her research notes while we wait for the others to return.

The sun has completely set as I step back into the streets.  
I look up at the night sky. The stars are especially clear tonight as they twinkle amidst the darkness.  
Amelia and Zack are already standing outside of the inn, staring at something.  
I can't see their faces too clearly, but Amelia seems pensive. Zack continually glances around.  
I approach them.

"I don't remember any of the other cities being this dark at night."

I follow Amelia's line of sight and notice a darkened lamppost. Maybe the light bulb's gone out?  
Looking further down the street, I see that the street lamp after this one is lit but the one after that is dark again.

"This is highly unusual."

"It seems like every other lamp is out. That can't be a coincidence."  
One or two? Maybe. But not systematically like this.

Amelia frowns.  
"That is the conclusion we came to as well."

I peek inside the nearest lamp.

"Do you see a crystal?"

I squint as I peer into the darkness. I can't make out any shapes but I can't tell if it's because it's too dark or there's nothing inside.  
I concentrate. Normally I can feel the presence of these crystals when I concentrate on them, since they are full of Force energy, but I feel only an echo in the lamp.  
"This one is empty."

Zack looks suspicious while Amelia frowns in concern.  
"Surely the town wouldn't be so negligent in their maintenance and upkeep…"

Zack finally chimes in to the conversation.  
"It's a possibility.

I shake my head.  
"Whilst that it true, it's also unlikely. It seems more like someone was stealing the crystals."

Zack looks skeptical while Amelia looks thoughtful.  
"The likelyhood of crystals being stolen from lamps is very low. It is more likely that either the town is purely negligent or is short on rescources for replacements."

I was just about to retort something when Amelia continues.

"Whatever the theory, we should bring this to someone's attention."

"That makes sense."

Amelia searches our surroundings and spots a guard patrolling on a nearby lane. We quickly approach him.

I speak up.  
"Excuse me."

"What is it."

"We noticed that half of your lamps are dark-"

Before I can finish my sentence, the guard sighs wearily.  
"We just can't replace them fast enough! Every day they keep taking more and more.  
That's acutally what I'm doing now. I'm counting how many need to be replaced tonight."

"So you're saying someone's been stealing the crystals?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying. Sounds crazy, right?"

"Not at all. It's the most logical conclusion."

Amelia looks impressed that I guessed correctly. Only that I didn't guess.  
I give her a smug smirk.

Zack chimes in.  
"What's the point of that?"

"Your guess is as good as mine. They're really not worth much."

"Have there been any other relevant thefts?"

"Sure, it's not just lamp crystals they're stealing. They're stealing pretty much any kind of crystal that they can get their hands on.  
It's been going on for a few weeks now and I'm at my wits' end! We've got a reward out for anyone who knows anything but we've still gotten no leads.  
Anyway, if you guys see something, let me know. I've got to get started on replacing these crystals before even more get taken."

Amelia, Zack and I stand in silence as the guard leaves.  
I'm not even from here and I can tell that something really weird is going on. But 'really weird' is like fifty percent of what I'm doing, so that's nothing new.  
Based on Amelia and Zack's expressions, it must be pretty bad.

Zack speaks first.  
"We should head back."

"Yes, we should inform Kara and Leanna."

I simply nod in agreement.

We follow Zack back into the inn where Leanna and Kara are waiting and exchange greetings.

I turn to Kara.  
"Any news?"

"I heard there was someone who could help, but I haven't been able to track him down. I'm sure I'll have an answer tomorrow."

She glances outside the window.  
"Has anyone else noticed how dark it is around here?"

Amelia chimes in.  
"Someone has been stealing the lamp crystals. That is what the guard informed us."

Kara raises an eyebrow.  
"Must be some pretty desperate thieves out there."

I'm curious.  
"Why do you say that?"

"Well, lamp crystals give essentially no return. They don't sell for anything because they're all specifically marked to be easily identified as this type of crystal."

"Obviously something very weird is going on. I can tell, half my life fits that description."

Leanna chimes in.  
"Maybe someone's more interested in the energy of the crystals instead of their value."

I nod.  
"I had the same thought. The guard also said they steal any kind of crystal they can get, not only lamp crystals. Do lamp crystals have a lot of energy, though?"

Kara answers.  
"Not particularly."

Turning to Leanna, she continues.  
"We should look into this. I can't think of any reason why someone would want lamp crystals, and I'd like to know what they're doing with them."

Leanna bites her lip cutely as she thinks, then nods, coming to a decision.  
"You're right, we should investigate."

Zack throws in his two cents.  
"Yup."  
Or more like one cent…

Leanna stops and stares at Zack.  
"Really? I'm a bit suprised, but glad to see this side of you!  
It sounds like the guards could use our help figuring out this mystery."

"Yup."

Again, Leanna stares at Zack, a little more uncertain this time.

Kara grins slyly.  
"They're offering a reward for any information, aren't they?"

Zack nods affirmitavely.  
"Yup."

Leanna sighs.  
"I should have guessed…"

Amelia chimes in.  
"Regardless, our first plan of action should be to search for any irregularities in energy."

"Amelia and I can do a scan of the city to see if anything shows up on the scanner."

We follow as the two of them step outside of the inn and begin to fiddle with their manipulators.  
They pace the lenghts of the streets, but don't seem to trail too far away.

"Aren't you guys going to walk the perimeter of the city or something?"

Amelia answers my question.  
"There is no need for such inefficiencies when we could just perform a radial scan."

Leanna frowns.  
"I'm not picking up any energy spikes or unusual readings."

Amelia continues to pace, then pauses.  
"Hm…"

She fiddles with her manipulator again, then turns down a side street.

I call out to her.  
"Hey, wait!"

She pauses again, then looks up.  
"Very curious. There is energy residue scattered throughout the city except for one area in the southern corner of town."

Leanna chimes in.  
"Oh! My scan radius doesn't reach that far.  
So the southern corner has zero energy readings?"

"Precisely."

"The remaining lamp crystals in the area should at least be giving off a pulse of energy. If even the pulse is missing, then that would indicate the place is completely dark."

Amelia concludes.  
"We must go in this direction."

Amelia leads the way, following her manipulator.  
As we continue to walk, the cobblestones underfoot change slightly. They're looser and more uneven than in the heart of the city.  
The buildings are weathered and spotted with patchwork brickwork.  
The alleys feel dimmer here than in the center of town as an even greater majority of streetlamps are dark.  
The buildings and houses become more spread out as we reach the outskirts of the city.  
The further we travel, the more run-down the houses become. Crumbled walls from buildings and other debris litter the streets.  
I watch my footing carefully as the dim light makes it easy to trip and fall.

I find it hard to believe the well-kept city I've come to know has parts like this. Did a bombardment happen here or what? Reminds me somewhat of Taris…  
"Are we still in the city?"

Leanna answers.  
"Technically, yes. We're in the remains of the last battle that occured in Stonecrest."

"You mean the one between Alaina and VOID?"

Leanna nods.  
"That's right. This is a part of the original city which hasn't been restored yet."

Amelia pauses in front of a dilapidated house.  
"This is the area of the irregularity."

The place is quiet. Too quiet.  
"Does anyone even live here?"

Leanna answers me again.  
"Probably not, so it could make a good hide out."

Kara chimes in, her voice low and focused.  
"Let's go in."

Kara gingerly opens the door, which is falling off its hinges, and slips inside. I tentatively follow her and the rest of the team trickles in.  
It looks like this was once a living room with a fireplace and a broken table in the corner. A hallway connects to it and leads into seperate rooms.

Zack speaks up.  
"We should split up and search the rooms."

I nod.  
"Agreed. We'll be sure to find it faster if we do. But not alone."

Leanna chimes in.  
"It could be dangerous. Someone is using cloaking magic to mask the heightened energies of the crystals. That doesn't sound like a regular thief to me."

That explains why I haven't felt anything out of the ordinary. Must be powerful magic if it can deceive even my senses.

Zack speaks up again.  
"We'll go in groups."

Kara chimes in.  
"No need, I think I've found it."

Kara grins as she stands on top of a throw rug in the back hallway.  
She stomps twice over the rug and I hear a muffled hollow thump. Then she steps off the rug and stomps again which reveals a much thicker sound.  
"I believe we've found ourselves a way down."

I'm suprised.  
"How did you find that so quickly?"

She cocks her head slightly sideways.  
"This house is literally falling apart and there are no other decorations besides this rug. That's pretty suspicious, isn't it?"

She kicks at the rug which slides away to reveal discoloured wooden panels. A hatch nestles into the wood.  
Zack pulls on the latch and the door swings upward. We peek inside and a handful of young faces stare back at us.  
Their hair is matted and dirt streaks their cheeks. I take a curious glance at the rug. It concealed their presence to me.  
Once the suprise wears off, they pull back from the entrance and retreat further into the basement.

Foregoing the ladder, Zack jumps into the basement.  
Leanna follows him down, and unlike Zack, lands lightly and gracefully on her feet. That must be her magic at use.  
Amelia takes the ladder down, as does Kara who jumps off once she's closer to the ground.  
I've jumped deeper. Like back in the Sith Academy, down from the second floor.  
I leap into the basement and land on my feet. I use the Force to dampen the impact.

The rest of the team already has the children cornered beside a glowing pile of crystals. I count five of them as they huddle together.  
Zack stands with his arms crossed, blocking the kids from trying to run.  
Kara stands beside him, her usual grin replaced with a grim expression.  
Amelia inspects the crystals while Leanna kneels by the kids.  
I keep myself in the background and observe, for now.

Amelia speaks up first.  
"I can confirm that these are the crystals we are looking for."

Leanna turns to the kids.  
"Where did you get these crystals?"

The children look uncomfortably amongst each other.

Leanna notices this, too.  
"You don't have to be afraid. I'm a Mage-Knight, see? I'm here to help."

She gives them a soft smile as she shows them her insignia.  
Some of the younger kids hang their heads, but an older boy straightens up and puts on a defiant scowl.  
"We didn't do anything wrong! We did exactly what the other man said!"

"What man?"

He clenches his jaw and refuses to speak.

Leanna crosses her arms.  
"Please, let me help you."

As the kids refuse to talk, Leanna looks helplessly back at us. Kara gently pulls Leanna to her feet and leads her away.  
"These kids are obviously alone and afraid. They're not going to talk to guards."

"I'm not a guard."

"To them, you may as well be."

Kara leans down and addresses the older kid.  
"You've got a nice pile of crystals there. Are you looking to sell them?"

The boy crosses his arms.  
Kara reaches into her purse and pulls out a coin.  
"I'd like to buy one off of you."

The younger children stare hungrily at the coin and cast questioning glances at the boy. He eyes the coin longingly but looks uncertain.  
"We can't sell it to you."

"Why's that?"

He quiets down again, but a younger boy pipes up.  
"He'll get angry if we don't have enough."

"The man will? Does he take care of you?"

The first boy protectively pushes the younger boy back.  
"He gives us money if we give him crystals."

"These kinds of crystals?"  
Kara points to the pile.

"Any! The bigger ones get us more coins but they're all out of them now."

"And that's why you've been taking lamp crystals?"

He looks away and doesn't answer.

The more I hear the less I like it.

Kara smiles warmly.  
"It's okay, I won't tell anyone if you don't."

The boy looks back at her.

"So, what does the man want with the crystals?

"I don't know. He just wants them. A lot of them."

Amelia chimes in.  
"We should return the lamp crystals to the guard."

A little girl begins to cry.  
"No please don't take them away! The man's coming back soon and he'll get angry if we don't have them."

Kara leans down and pats the little girl reassuringly.  
"Don't cry! We won't take the crystals."

"Y-You w-won't?"  
She chokes her words out between sniffles.

"Nope! We don't want the man to be angry. He can be pretty scary if he's angry, right?"

The little girl calms down a bit and nods vigorously. She slips her hand into the older boy's hand and he squeezes reassuringly.

"Tell me, when is the man coming?"

The older boy answers again.  
"He comes at the end of the week… so tomorrow evening…"

Leanna pipes up.  
"And he meets you here?"

He nods.

Leanna looks back at the rest of us.  
"We should go."

Kara nods.

We're grim as we exit the house and make our way back towards the inn.  
Those kids… It's obvious they're orphans. What happened to their parents?  
Why is there no foster system or orphanage to help them?  
Glancing at Kara, she looks equally pensive and disturbed by the childrens unfortunate situation.  
I clench my fists. This is the exact reason I fight. I want to create a world where children can grow up without fear, happy and content.  
I _will_ create such a world. If the Empire and Republic have a place in that world is up to them.

Zack suddenly speaks up and rips me out of my musings.  
"We'll have to camp out at their hide-out tomorrow evening and see when the man shows up. Then follow him and see where he's going and what he's doing with the crystals."

Leanna furrows her brow.  
"I really can't imagine what he could want with all those crystals."

I have a few theories in mind, but they are extremely far-fetched and quite dark. I keep them to myself for now.

Amelia places a finger to her lips in thought.  
"It is a very perplexing situation."

"Well, I suppose there's no dwelling on it now."

I speak up.  
"What do you think will happen to those kids?"

Zack shrugs.  
"Probably get sent to an orphanage."

"I'm suprised they aren't already in one."

"They're just trying to survive."

Kara is unusually silent this whole time.  
"Are you okay, Kara?"

She immediately perks up and flashes me a smile.  
"Of course, just thinking about our next plan of action. I'll be heading out early to see if I can get more information on where to go next so I better get some rest."

Leanna chimes in.  
"Rest seems like a good idea for all of us."

As we reach the inn, we all say our goodnights and head to our respective rooms.  
Thoughts of the children disturb me, and it takes me a while before I inevitably drift to sleep.

* * *

A/N: Sorry again for the long wait. Main reason this time is that I've written most of the chapter, only to loose the data and had to restart from scratch.  
Especially my original conversation on the train took me a long time until I was satisfied again.  
Merry Christmas and happy holidays to everyone still sticking around.  
I promise that progress will come, I just can't say when.  
As always, feedback is welcome.  
Until then, cheers.

Foxy: If you're still around, sorry I couldn't reach out to you sooner. You don't seem to have a link to your profile.  
Thank you for your Review. But this is ultimately the story of the game. I try to include original moments that warrant the Star Wars crossover, but again, this will follow the game quite closely. I considered this when I started to write this story, but Imperius is a calm, collected and cautious character. He wouldn't rush around doing something rash, so I think the story of the game itself is the course he would take as well.  
I have plans and ideas that come after the ending of Crystalline, but it will take a long time to even get there.  
All in all, I try to throw in original content and do a twist or two, but in the long run, it's sticking to the game plan. I hope that doesn't set you too off.  
And yes, I got PixelFade's okay for this. I made sure to ask them before I started writing. :)


	8. Day 11: Confrontation in Stonecrest

I begin walking to the town square.  
I follow my feet as I wonder through the streets, taking my time and enjoying the bustle of the town.  
I have completely forgotten how relaxing it is to have nothing on the agenda. Thirteen years of constant figthing do that to you.

"Poi poi!"

The pango pulls me out of my musings before I can delve too deep, and we reach the square eventually.  
I recognize the statue of Alaina.

"Woof!"  
A small, brown feline of some sorts, only a little larger than the pango, watches us. Its tail wags slowly when it catches our attention.  
I believe it's called a 'dog', Leanna once told me. I don't see any reseblence with dogs I know, like the Akk dogs, but whatever.  
It looks quite harmless and somewhat cute.

"Hey dog, are you lost?"

The dog wags his tail. I extend my hand and it cautiously approaches.  
After giving me a few good exploratory sniffs, it barks excitedly.

"Good boy."  
Its tongue lolls out as I scratch behind its ears.

"Poi!"  
The pango bounces angrily. The dog stares at the pango as if noticing him for the first time.

"Woof?"

"Poi poi!"

The pango pouts and jumps even higher. The dog covers and whines.

"Pango, what's up with you?"

"Poi!"

I go to pat the dog, but the pango butts my hand away.

"Poi poi!"

I stare blankly at the pango.  
"Are you jealous?"

"Poi!"

I sigh as I reach out a hand and pat the pango who seems to calm down slightly.  
The dog perks up as the pango relaxes.  
"Woof!"

It waggles its tail as it nuzzles the pango.

"Poi?!"  
The pango bristles at the dogs touch and scrambles back.

"Poi poi!"  
He hops away but the dog happily chases him.

"Woof!"

As the dog catches up, it licks the pango, who grimaces.

"Aw, he's playing with you."

"Pooooiiii…"  
Was that a defeated sigh?

"Mocha!"  
A little girl races over to the dog, who barks excitedly at ther presence.  
She throws her arms around it and holds it close as it licks her face.

"I thought I lost you!"

Suddenly, she notices the pango and her eyes grow wide.  
"Oooooh, you're so cute!"

"Poi?"

She gently pats the pango on the head and his little frown melts into a smile.  
"Poi poi!"

"Are you lost too?"

Choose your pois wisely, little one.

"Poi poi!"  
He hops over to me. Good move.  
The girl looks me over then smiles shyly.  
"Oh, um, hi."

I return her smile. Just not shyly.  
"Hello. Is that your dog?"

She nods.  
"Thanks for finding him for me. Sometimes he's too fast and I can't catch him."

Mocha, as seems to be the dog's name, sniffs around my feet and nudges my hand to be patted, but the pango bounces between us.  
"Poi!"

The girl giggles and waves.  
"I guess we should be leaving. Bye bye little pango friend! Thanks for keeping Mocha company!"

"Woof!"

I smile at her enthusiasm.  
"Bye."

Before Mocha can escape again, the girl slips a leash around his collar and the two of them gradually disappear from view.  
I look down at my pango, who looks back up at me.  
I smile and pat his head affectionately. He squirms happily against me, then hops onto my shoulder and nuzzles my face.

"How about we continue on that walk together, hm?"

"Poi!"

Together, we head further into town. Now if I had access to my clothes from Rishi…  
I decide to check out some of the storefronts and streets that I didn't get a chance to see yesterday.  
The pango wanders off whenever it gets too crowded, but he always seems to find his way back to me.

That didn't take me as long as I thought it would, though, so I search for a nice spot to meditate.  
I find a tree on a slight hill, overlooking the town. I seat myself against the trunk and meditate about my situation.  
There's something going on behind the scenes. If I just could figure out what…

After most of the day has passed, I decide it's time to return to the inn.  
Leanna, Amelia and Zack are already there waiting.  
Leanna stands when I arrive.  
"Here, I got you something."

She passes me a gauntlet similar to the one on her wrist. The sphere inlaid is the same colour as Leanna's. It must be a wind crystal.

"Is this a manipulator?"

She nods.  
"Yeah, I was thinking about your last attempt at casting, and I figured this might be more helpful with future training.  
Having the manipulator as the focal point of concentration is how Amelia and I learned to cast."

I raise my hand to my chin in thought.  
"I couldn't grasp the absorbed energy due to my already tremendous power. Having this as an external focus point could really help."

I look back up to her.  
"Thanks! And while we're at it, I have something for you as well."

Leanna looks suprised.  
"Oh? You didn't have to…"

I rummage through my pockets and find the small plushie I won yesterday.  
"It's nothing big, don't worry. As I was at the 'carnival' yesterday, as Amelia calls it, I won something that I thought you'd like. Here."  
I hold it out to her.

"Aww, it's really cute. How thoughtful of you!"  
She blushes as she takes the plushie from my hands.

I smile.  
"I hoped you'd like it."

"I do, thank you!"

Just as we were finished Kara returns, and the attention shifts to her. Her timing is impeccable.  
"The crystal pick-up will happen soon. We should start heading over."

Leanna nods.  
"Once they complete the exchange, we should follow the guy to see if he leads us to their hide-out. He might have other partners so we should be on guard."

"I still can't think of why they'd want these crystals."

Amelia chimes in before I can.  
"Energy crystals have varying utilisations… some of which are outlawed."

Kara seems a bit suprised but Leanna doesn't react to that. I have some ideas what those 'outlawed utilisations' could be, and I don't like one of them.

Zack perks up.  
"We have our plan. Let's get started."

We trace back to the ruins and find the abandoned house with the children. Instead of entering, we spread out around the perimeter to maximise visiblity on anyone approaching.  
Kara and I stay close to the house and hide behind some fallen bricks. Our field of vision is limited, but we're close enough to overhear any conversation that take place inside. Plus, I don't only see with my eyes.  
After we position ourselves, we wait.

We don't know when the man is going to show up, and after about twenty minutes I start to get slightly impatient. I know, patience is a virtue, but I highly dislike sitting around in one place and waiting for _something_ to happen. I wish the kids had given us a time. Too bad we didn't ask.  
Who knows how long we'll be stuck here.  
My legs are starting to cramp, but because I don't want to draw any attention, I simply force it away. Literally.

Finally, a man approaches. He appears to be in his twenties, and wears a peculiar form of hat on his head.  
Kara grabs my collar, but I was just as fast to duck down as she was. She covers my mouth with her hand and puts a finger to her lips.  
I roll my eyes, but refrain from doing anything else.  
Seems like it's our job to listen in. The others will be our eyes.  
I hear a door creak followed by the faint sound of footsteps.

"Ayyo, you punks got my crystals or what?"

Hmm, voice is laced with false bravado. He plays the tough guy because he's dealing with people weaker than him. Just a goon.  
I listen for any extra footsteps but it sounds like the man came solo.

"Here."

There is rustling of a bag being opened.

"What is this? These crystals are weak, yo!"

"That's all we could find."

"Nah, nah, this ain't good, man."  
There's something else in his voice, a certain sluggishness. Maybe he's sleep deprived?

"Sorry."  
The boy's voice is weak.

"Hmph."

The bag closes and the man grunts as he lifts it up.

"Wait! Where are our coins?"

"You'll get your payment when you deliver, yo. This is only half of what you promised."

There's a silence. I carefully peek out to see the boy straining with his hands clenched.  
"…Fine."

"That's what I thought."

The stranger lugs the bag over his shoulder. I quickly duck back down as he exits the house.

"Time to go-"  
I turn to face Kara who wears a serious frown and has fury in her eyes. I don't think I've seen her angry before, let alone this livid.  
She looks like she's about to rip that guy's head off.

I speak softly.  
"Kara?"

"Did you not see that? We should take him out now!"

"We will, later. But he could just be a messenger. We have to stick to the plan."

Kara clenches and unclenches her jaw. Then she nods, still fuming.  
"I know you're right, but still…"

"He'll get his justice soon enough."

She looks back up.  
"Let's hurry up and go."

"Yes."

We trail the man out of Stonecrest, making sure to stay behind buildings and keep to the shadows to not be spotted.  
Kara slips in and out of the alleys with ease and it takes quite a bit of my concentration not to loose her.  
No wonder she's always sneaking up on us!  
The rest of the team follows him as well. Although I am unable to spot them visibly, I can feel their presences around. That's good, the less chance of being noticed the better.  
Outside of the city gates, it's a little harder to stay hidden as it opens into a more open field.  
But I am unconcerned. Even if he'd try to escape, he wouldn't get far. Not with me around.  
We successfully follow him to what looks like an abandoned train car.  
There's some kind of dark smoke emitting from the top.  
The man pauses and we crouch lower behind cover as he looks around.  
He doesn't spot any of us and enters the train.

Kara again puts her finger to her lips and I nod. Staying low, we sneak towards the train. The windows are all blocked off but we crouch below them anyway.  
I can hear muffled voices as I gently press my ear against the train.

"Yo, Mr. Wight."

"Jesse, how many times do I have to tell you to call me Heisenburg?"  
The man speaks softly but his tone is strict and disapproving.

"My bad, but I got some crystals."

"Let's see."

"There aren't many and they're pretty small. I don't think we'd be able to get much out of them anyway."

"It doesn't matter their size. Once we're done cooking them, they'll be exponentially more effective."

"I dunno, man. They're tiny. How does that even work?"

"It's a simple matter of science."

"You serious? You can do something like that?!"

"Indeed."

"Yeah, Mr. Wight! Yeah, science!"

"Heisenburg."

"Oh, right, my bad, yo."

I hear faint clanging of glasswork. I wish I could see what they're doing…  
A sharp snap cracks somewhere from behind me! What was that?  
I shift out of position to look behind me and see a small animal scampering away.  
As I breathe a sigh of relief, I notice the absence of noise in the train.

"What was that?"

Before I have a chance to get down, one of the windows swing open and I'm face to face with both of them.  
The younger man with the funny hat, Jesse, stares at me with wild eyes.  
The second man is much older, maybe the age of his father and fixes me with an inscrutable stare.  
He looks suprisingly normal, not like someone who'd get mixed up in something shady.  
But looks can be deceiving.  
I fix them with a predatory grin. This should be fun.  
Jesse seems to not think so, as he turns around and darts out of the back exit.  
"Run!"

Mr. Wight joins him as Kara and I sprint to the other side of the train. Thankfully, Leanna and Zack are already there.  
Leanna points her blade at them.  
"Surrender and come with us peacefully."

Jesse looks like he's about to bolt, but Zack fixes his discharger on him.  
"I wouldn't move if I were you."

"Crap, what do we do?"

"Hahaha…"

"Why are you laughing at a time like this?!"

Jesse clearly does not know the laugh of someone with an ace up their sleeve. Or of a diabolic mastermind. Somewhat of both here, which concerns me ever so slightly.

Amelia stands a good distance away, her manipulators glowing. After looking over the older man, she frowns.  
"The branding of VOID."

"Quite the observation, young miss."

"Wait, what?! You're a part of VOID?"

Seems like Jesse didn't know that detail.  
Mr. Wight merely smiles.

"I didn't sign up for this!"

"Don't be so naive! You think the crystals were just going to magically create more energy?"

"Your intent was to perform shadow transmutation on the crystals to create tainted spheres."

Again, he doesn't answer.

"It appears confrontation is imminent."  
I share that feeling, Amelia.

"Why don't we even up the odds?"  
With a flash, Mr. Wight grabs two shadowy spheres from his belt, similar to the one I saw in Raven Pass. He throws them to the ground and a dark smog emits, curling in the air.  
Leanna reacts first and blasts her wind magic to dissipate the smoke.  
In it's place are two shadow creatures. Their warped appendages are nothing that I recognise and their long shadow claws come into a sharp point.  
Intruiging. It would appear that these creatures are made purely out of Dark Side Force energy, shaped into a physical appearance.  
They stand between us and Mr. Wight with Jesse cowering beside him.

Leanna exclaims.  
"Shadow familiars?!"

"This is getting way too crazy for me. I'm out!"  
Jesse breaks into a sprint and Kara immediately gives chase.  
"I've got him!"

The two of them dash out of sight.

"Unfortunately, you've disrupted my work, which means I have to start all over again. So, I'm going to get going."

He channels a spell and starts to run. As he continues to chant the spell, shadows crawl up his leg, threatening to engulf him completely in shadow.

"We can't let him get away!"

"As much as I want to go after him, our top priority is to defeat these shadow creatures!"

"Indeed. Shadow familiars in this close proximity to a city can wreak havoc and incite widespread panic."

I click my tounge and let Heisenburg trip telekinetically. He tumbles and looses focus on his spell, the shadows dispersing.  
He mumbles some profanities as he picks himself up and begins to run again.

I switch to my commanding tone.  
"Guys, go after him! I got this."

"But-"

"Go!"

They are startled by the shift in my tone and presence.  
I sigh.  
"Alright, Leanna, stay with me as back up. Zack and Amelia, follow him!"

Zack and Amelia shoot me uncertain gazes, but do as I told them and give chase.

Leanna looks at me just as uncertain.  
"Are you sure about this? These shadow familiars are incredibly strong. It would be a difficult battle, even for all four of us."

I smirk confidently.  
"Leanna, calm down. I'm a god, remember? I admit they are powerful, but still small fry for me."

"Yeah, about that…"

"By the Force, just trust me for once, alright? Just hang back and observe."

Leanna wants to retort something, but the shadow familiars choose this moment to lunge at us.  
I use one arm to gently push her back, and the other to produce a shockwave through a quick cast of overload.  
The shadow familiars are flung back out of their jump.  
One tumbles to the ground, the other lands on his feet, but is bound by residue energy.  
I throw my arm forward, shocking the one lying on the floor.  
In that moment the bind of the other wears off and it charges at me again.  
I simply throw an electrocute at it, the more potent version of my shock. It's body spasms as it got hit by the high voltage.  
Using that moment, I cast a whirlwind on the other creature that still lies on the ground.  
I need a few seconds to get the spell out, but once I do, I watch the shadow familiar dangle helplessly in the air.  
Just a moment later the effect of my electrocute wears off, and the formerly stunned shadow familiar begins it's charge anew.  
I stop it dead in it's tracks, however, when I channel a Force Drain.  
Reaching out both hands a bit, I use one to send a small stream of energy towards the creature to root it, and use the other to siphon it's energy.  
That process takes me a while. One minute, to be exact, and there's nothing left of the first shadow familiar.  
Just then the whirlwind dissipates and the other one falls down on the ground, completely disoriented.  
I don't give it a chance to recover and repeat the procedure with my Force Drain.

As the last creature dissipates, I drop my hands and know my eyes glow slightly yellow golden.

Leanna's mouth hangs open.  
"You did it. You completely defeated them on your own. How?"

"I would like to know that as well."

"Wow, would you look at that. Maybe there's something true to your claims, after all?"

Seems like Amelia and Zack returned in the middle of my 'match'. I sensed them coming, but didn't pay any mind to it.

"Easy. Those where manifestations of Dark Side Force energy, so I absorbed them.  
But more importantly, this Heisenburg guy got away?"

"Unfortunately, yes. He was able to conclude the cast of his spell before we were able to interfere, so we immediately returned to help you out. It appears our worry was gratuitous."

I nod.  
"It was. There's nothing on this planet that poses a real threat to me. And by proxy, you."

Zack smirks.  
"Oh, really? What was that time you took the shadow blast?"

I grimace.  
"My absolute defence is based on a clear mind. I panicked in that moment, so my barrier failed me."

"And that time I shot you?"

"I had my defence deactivated on purpose. The point was to train my swordmanship, not my resilience."

"You really have an answer to everything, don't you."

I smirk.  
"Yeah, most of the time. Part of the job, you know."

Zack glances at me questioningly, but before he can say anything, Kara's voice rings out.  
"Hey!"

We turn to the sound of her voice. She waves at us with one hand as she uses the other to drag Jesse back.  
She plops him down in front of us and he falls ungracefully to the ground. I see that his hands are bound.  
Kara stands over him, her face grim.  
"Now, you're going to tell us exactly what you know."

"I don't know jack squat! Mr. Wight was paying me to get crystals and that's it, yo!"

Amelia perks up.  
"So you were not an accomplice to the shadow transmutation?"

"I don't even know what the shadow transportation is!"

Leanna chimes in.  
" _Transmutation_."

"Exactly!"

We glare at him.

"Look, I made a few deliveries to him. The first couple of times he wouldn't tell me what he did but paid some good coin.  
But later he said he was going to show me so I could 'help with his operations'.  
He was going to give solid pay for that too, yo!"

I look him up and down. He stares desperately at us and it's clear to me that he's scared. This doesn't seem like the kind of man VOID would trust with any kind of responsibilities. I furthermore can sense the truth of his words. I believe that he's just looking for some fast cash.  
Kara seems skeptical, but Amelia and Leanna seem to have come to the same conclusion I have.  
Zack crosses his arms.  
"Better hope the guards believe your story."

Jesse looks like he's about to protest, but sighs instead. I think he realises there's no chance he's going to escape.  
"The bag of stolen crystals is in there. He didn't grab it before running out."

Leanna enters the train and returns with a bulging bag.  
"Let's go take him into the guards. They'll take it from here."

Zack hauls Jesse back to his feet and leads him back towards town.  
Luckily, it's late at night so very few people walk the street. The few who do give us long stares as we pass.  
A few meters in I take the bag from Leanna, it seemed pretty heavy.  
She tries to protest, but I can hear the strain in her voice.

When we arrive at the guard barracks, the person on duty gets on his feet. He looks at Leanna in recognition.  
"Oh, it's you again!"

"We've found the source of your missing crystals."

I take that as my cue and hand the bag over to the guard.  
He takes a quick glance inside before putting it aside, nodding in thanks.

Zack pushes Jesse forward and he stumbles into the guard, who grabs ahold of him.  
The guard eyes him up and down.  
"It's this guy?"

"Nah, man, it was all cause of VOID!"

The guard stares at him, clearly unconvinced.  
"Uh-huh, maybe in lock-up you'll have time to think of a better story."

"I'm telling you the truth, bitch!"

The guard frowns and passes Jesse off to another guard who takes him into the back.  
Then the guard turnes back to us.

Leanna speaks up.  
"Hopefully you won't have any more issues."

The guard grins and looks relieved.  
"I can't thank you enough. You have no idea how much of a thorn in my side this has all been.  
As promised, there's a reward for helping us catch the culprit."

He produces a heavy satchel of gold which he hands over to us.  
"Thanks again for all your help, and I hope you have a safe night."

Leanna nods with a smile.  
"Thanks."

We leave the guard house and equally divvy up the reward money.  
As everything settles down, the group decides to return to the inn.  
I'm glad we got to the bottom of things, but I can't help but wonder what will happen to those kids...

"I'll meet you guys at the inn. I think I forgot something."

I slip away before anyone can ask me any questions and make my way back to those kids.  
On my way I pick up some small pebbles.  
They were dependant on that crystal money to survive and I can't sit by and do nothing to help them.  
I could help the poor of Nar Shadda so I can help these poor kids.  
I know I don't have much to offer, here, but maybe giving them a cut of my reward can help tide them over. Plus I always can offer my assistance...

Quietly, I enter the house so as not to spook the children.  
As I near the trapdoor, I hear Kara's voice.  
How did she get here so fast? And what is she doing here?  
Well, probably the same as me, when her former reactions were any indication.  
Slowing my steps, I silently creep towards the trap door and spy on Kara and the kids.

"Here you go guys, take this."  
She hands the oldest boy a fat coin purse. Yep, she had the same idea I had.  
The boy silently accepts it, too shocked by the amount of money to even speak.

"The man won't be coming for crystals anymore, so use that to help you find a new way to survive."

The boy nods numbly. Some of the younger children huddle together, clearly frightened for their futures.  
Kara smiles reassuringly.  
"I know it seems scary, but I promise if you stick together, you'll be fine."

The kids hug each other.

The oldest boy perks up.  
"I won't let anything happen to anyone!"

"Good! I know you won't. Take care of yourselfes, okay? And stay out of trouble."

Kara turns to leave and I scramble out of sight. She doesn't notice me as she hurries away.  
It seems like she's got a soft spot for these kids.  
I better do what I came here to do and get back before people get too suspicious.

I knock to make my presence known.  
"Hey, kids."

I go down into the trap room. The oldest boy looks up at me in suprise.

"Here."

I toss him a small bag of my coins which he fumbles before catching. He looks genuinely suprised, as if he can't believe it's actually happening.

"But... why?"

"If it weren't for you we wouldn't have cought the bad guys. You kids were a big help."

"Really?"  
He looks at the other children who give him hopeful eyes. Then he grins.  
"Thank you!"

I nod.  
"You're welcome. Besides, I know how scary it is to be alone. But you guys are not alone. You have each other."

He takes another look at the other kids.  
"I know, and I will keep them safe!"

I smile.  
"That I know. But if you, anyone one of you, ever need help, call for me."

As I say that I hand each of them a small stone which I infused with my energy.

The kids look confused, and the oldest boy speaks their minds.  
"Thank you, but... what are these stones?"

"They are infused with my energy. I'm a sorcerer you see, from a land far across the great ocean. I know secret powers the mages of this land can't even dream about."

"Really? You certainly don't look the part."

I sigh.  
"If I'd get only one coin every time I'm told that… Well, I was... _persuaded_ to change my robes. But I assure you, my powers are real."  
I let some lightning crackle between my fingers to emphasize my point.

They look at the lightning in awe.

"So if you ever are in a pinch, in danger, injured or simply need help with something, anything really, just hold the stone and think my name, and I will be there."

I Phase Jump behind them as I say the last part of the sentence. Then, I jump right back.  
The kids are absolutely awed.  
The oldest boy finds his voice first.  
"Woah… We will remember that. But... why do offer us so much help?"

"As I said, I know how it is like to have no one to turn to. Now you do. Have someone to turn to, I mean.  
Well, I've been here longer than I thought I'd be. I should be getting back."

"Just one more thing."

"Yeah?"

"What's your name?"

I rub my neck and grin sheepishly.  
"Xerath. I am Xerath Kallig."

The boy grins as well.  
"Thank you again, Xerath."

I nod.  
"Anytime."

Once I return to the upstairs, I hear the children scramble below and a series of excited gasps as they inspect the reward money.

"Wow, the girl gave us so much!"

"I've never seen so much money before in my life!"

"The boy, Xerath, still gave a lot though. More than we got from crystals!"

Woah, just how much money did Kara give? Was it her whole reward?  
For a treasure hunter, that seems very generous. There's probably more to it.  
I wonder what it could be as I return to the inn and meet up with the rest of the group.

As I enter the inn, Leanna looks around.  
"Where's Kara?"

Kara's not back yet? But she left before me...  
"I don't know. I thought she was following everyone back."

"I thought so too."  
Leanna bites her lip cutely and furrows her brow.

"I'm sure she'll be back soon."

While we wait for Kara to return, we decide to grab something to eat. With all of the excitement going on, we forgot about dinner.  
We get our orders and settle in.  
Zack and Leanna dig in. Amelia, on the other hand, is quiet as she stares at her plate. Is she okay?  
"Amelia?"

She looks up at me.  
"Yes?"

"Something wrong?"

She shakes her head.  
"No, I was pondering about the lab at the VOID hideout which was used to perform shadow transmutations."

"So, from what I gathered this shadow transmutation is to use shadow magic to create a stronger, possibly instable version of the base material. Am I correct?"

"Mostly. It is the process in which shadow energy is merged with a crystal containing another form of elemental energy.  
This fusion causes an overwhelming surge of energy to spawn which consequently, de-stabilisies the crystal and causes the shadow energy to become uncontrollable and very dangerous."

Leanna chimes in without missing a beat.  
"This is what we refer to as a 'tainted sphere', like the one the treasurer used in Raven Pass and what was used to summon the shadow familiars."

"It didn't seem uncontrollable when they used it though."

Amelia answers again.  
"Perhaps not those times. However, as it is a de-stabilised sphere, the energy is unpredictable. It's possible it will cast properly, but equally possible it will implode upon itself at any time, which would be fatal to the mage in possession of it."

Zack chimes in, suprisingly enough.  
"That's a best case scenario. Imagine if one of those crystals went off and spawned a shadow familiar in the middle of town."

That would definitely be bad.

Leanna speaks up.  
"That's why shadow transmutation has been outlawed even before the treaty of Esaria."

"I thought you said all use of shadow magic was banned?"

"Yes, but there were legitimate users of shadow magic before the war."

"You lost me."

Amelia pipes up again.  
"Shadow magic is not innately harmful. It was originally used in non-destructive ways, just like any other element.  
That being said, a group of practitioners abused the usage of shadow magic, which revealed just how dangerous it can be when used in such a manner.  
That was what caused the eventual War of Esaria and the subsequent banning of shadow magic."

"I suppose that group was VOID?"

"Correct."

Things are starting to make sense. However…  
A loud slap is heard when my hand meets my forehead.  
"No offense, but... that reasoning is stupid. I mean, I get where you're coming from, but what if they used another magic? Wouldn't it be possible to, I don't know, summon tornadoes and other storms with wind magic, or flood waves with water magic, and so on? You simply banned what you did not understand, instead of trying to look into it. What VOID did is bad, yes, but see where that ban of shadow magic brought you.  
There are those that practise it in the shadows, outside of any form of control or supervision. If my fear comes to pass, then VOID is out there, doing the Force-knows-what in unknown proportions. One shadow mage popping up with the branding of VOID? Could be a relic. Two? Hints at something bigger going on behind the scenes."

Leanna looks pensive.  
"It is troublesome to think that there was someone performing shadow transmutation just on the outskirts of Stonecrest… and with a lot of crystals too…"

Zack chimes in.  
"Even though VOID was defeated, it wasn't completely wiped out and their remaining members have just been laying low."

Amelia and Leanna nod.

The conversation lulls as we think about what was said. We finish the rest of our food in silence.

By the time we finish up our meals, Kara returns.  
"Hey guys, sorry I'm late. I met up with my contact and he came through. He said that there's some adventurer who's been talking about one of those high concentrations of energy. He's at Hearthpoint right now but probably won't be staying for too long. We should head there in the morning and see what he knows."

Zack pipes up.  
"What's the guy's name?"

"Artan Hunt."

Zack shrugs. I guess he doesn't know him.

"It might sound like just a rumour, but there's always a grain of truth in a rumour. At the very least we should be able to get a clue or two."

I nod.  
"Can confirm that with the rumours. About a quarter of my rise to power was based on rumours. All turned out to be true."

Leanna nods.  
"Okay, tomorrow we'll head for Hearthpoint."

Amelia nods as well.

I yawn widely.  
"Tonight though, I'm ready for bed."

The team murmurs their agreement and we all turn in early.

It's been a long day and that confrontation with the shadow familiars has exhausted me a bit. I don't use Force Drain often, so I'm not that used to it.  
After getting ready, I climb into bed and immediately fall into a deep sleep.


	9. Day 12: Travel to Hearthpoint

The next morning, I wake up with a wide yawn.  
All in all, I feel very rested.  
I gather my things and meet the group downstairs for a quick breakfast.  
When we step out of the inn, I get a mental message. The boy from yesterday calls for me.  
"Umm, guys? Go on a bit without me. I forgot to take care of something."

Leanna looks at me enquiring.  
"Oh, uhm, alright… Are you sure you'll find us again?"

I smile.  
"Positive. Well, see you later."

Before the others can say anything, I turn on my heels and go back into the inn and up the stairs. Once I'm sure no one is around I Phase Walk to the boy.  
I find myself in the basement of that run-down house again. Five faces of young children look up at me in utter awe.  
I smile at them.  
"Hello there. You called for me, so here I am, as I promised. What's up?"

The oldest boy, the one who called for me, finds his voice the fastest.  
"You- you really came… and just out of thin air!"

I chuckle.  
"More or less, yes. I can instantly travel to marks such as the ones I gave you on those stones. So, do you need help with something?"

"Oh, no! Not at all! We, um, we just wanted to test if this works. That you didn't scam us."

I nod.  
"I understand."

"You- you're not mad at us?"

"Why should I be? I can see where you're coming from. But please, just call me when you need me, in the future. I am somewhat busy, and my group is waiting for me."

"We're sorry we disturbed you, then."

I sigh.  
"You didn't. I mean what I said. You can call me any time. Just within reason, is all I ask. If it's not urgent, take into consideration what time of the day it is. If it is urgent, don't hesitate. I _will_ be there."

"Thank you, Xerath."

""Yes, thank you very much.""

I smile again.  
"You're very welcome. But if that was all...?"

"Yes, it was..."

"Then I'll be on my way. Take care, you guys."

The boy gives a crooked grin.  
"You too."

I close my eyes and focus on the presences of my party members. Seems like they're a bit past the gates already. I sharpen my focus on the mark I left on the plushie I gave to Leanna and Phase Walk there.  
I plop up behind Leanna, in the middle of the group.  
They are quite startled, to say the least.

"Good god, Xerath! Where did you come from?!"

"Well, I Phase Walked here. You remember the stone I sent to Elder Issim? Same principle."

Everyone calmed down again, then we begin our journey to Hearthpoint.

After travelling all morning, we decide to stop and rest for a while.  
The sun shines overhead in the sky and there's a soft breeze to balance out the warmth of the day.  
Zack claims a spot in the shade of a tree where he cleans out his dischargers and Amelia and Kara rummage through the packs to pass around water.  
Leanna approaches me.  
"Since we're taking a break, would you be up for some magic training? We can go into the clearing so you aren't just on the open road."

I nod with a grin.  
The faster I learn to cast, the faster I master this strange usage of the Force.  
Plus, more time spent with Leanna is time well spent.  
"Let's do it!"

Leanna smiles.  
I follow her to a little alcove off of the path. We're far enough that passers by won't get a good view of us, but not far enough that we loose sight of the rest of the team.

"Well, I don't know how you use that powers of yours, so I'll start at the beginning."

I nod.

"The actual process is a bit tricky. You have to channel the energy out of the crystal, then concentrate on the process of shaping it, refining the energy into something you can use. So, to do that, you need to concentrate on the crystal's form and use your mind to alter it."

"Hmm…"  
I think her words over for a moment.  
I look down at the manipulator at my wrist.

"So I should focus on the energy within the manipulator instead of the energy within me? I can channel the energy from this crystal?"

"Exactly! Like this."  
Leanna holds out her manipulator.  
It pulses softly with a blue light, and then a small burst of wind erupts from the manipulator.

"Alright, I'll give it a go."

I stare at the manipulator. I keep my breathing calm and steady, focusing on the different energy signature of the elemental sphere within the manipulator.  
Unlike the last try to reach the absorbed energy within me, I can actually feel the energy in the manipulator, but it still eludes me.

"Just concentrate on the energy. Let go of your distractions."

I take a deep breath and close my eyes.  
I sharpen my focus, but it doesn't work.  
Altough I supress my powers outwardly, I still feel my whole power. The resulting problem is that my power more or less overshadows the energy of the manipulator.  
The same problem I had at my last try to cast. My focus is always drawn back to my own energy.  
I exhale.  
"It's not working."

"That's okay. Keep trying! It's always hardest your first time."

I think through Leanna's explanation again. Is there something I've missed?  
Trying again, I concentrate, focusing on the energy...  
...But nothing happens.  
"...This isn't working..."

"Don't give up! Try again. Just focus on that energy and use the manipulator to channel it."

"I know you've said that before, but it's not that. I feel the energy, as small as it is, I just can't seem to grasp it. It elludes me."

Leanna looks at me suprised.

"The principle is quite similar to my method of casting, but it seems my own power doesn't want me to use something else, my focus keeps on gravitating back to it."

Leanna runs her hand through her hair as she frowns.

In a quick burst of anger I leash out and send a telekinetic blast at a random stone on the side.  
I sigh heavily.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm not used to this."

She looks puzzled.

"Not used to what?"

"To fail. As soon as my connection to the Force awoke, I was more or less a natural with it.  
At first only instinctively, but all the teachings I learned, I mastered them more or less on the first try.  
Now I have such a skilled mage before me and I fail."

I turn my gaze to the ground.  
"It feels like I've let you down. I hate this feeling."

"That's not true! You haven't let me down. I know casting is complicated, and I haven't heard of anybody succeeding on their first tries. You just have to continue trying."

I look back up at her.  
She smiles at me hearteningly.  
"But how about we take a break for now?"

I nod and smile appreciatieely in return.  
"That might be a good idea."

We return to the group.  
Kara, Zack and Amelia are ready for us when we get back.  
After Leanna and I have a chance to rehydrate and grab a quick bite to eat, we continue on our way.

The rest of the journey goes far more smoothly than my training.

As the sun dips low, we decide to rest for the night. After securing a well-covered area, we get to work setting up camp.  
Leanna disappears to gather firewood while Zack rummages through the supplies, preparing for dinner. Kara secures our perimeter.  
I roll out my sleeping roll and Amelia does the same.  
As she sets down her things, the pango plushie from before falls onto the grass.  
Amelia carefully rights it, then continues to unpack.

The pango jiggles up to the plushie and greets it exitedly.  
"Poi poi!"

The plushie makes no reaction, but the pango is undeterred.  
"Poi! Poi poi?"

Again, the plushie doesn't respond. The pango deflates and his face falls.  
"Poi?"

Amelia furrows her brow, then subtly touches her manipulator.  
The pango plushie suddenly bobs to life as a thin layer of water pools underneath.

"Poi?!"

Amelia tries not to move her lips.  
"Poi!"

The pangos eyes grow wide and he beams.  
"Poi poi!"

"Poi!"  
The plushie bobs again and the pango squishes it as if in a hug.

"Awww."  
Amelia cracks a small smile, which disappears when she meets my amused gaze.  
She clears her throat and returns to fiddling with things.  
My heart warms as I watch her. She's not as cold as she would have people believe! Altough I have guessed so already.

I chuckle.  
"You know, you don't have to stop because of me. Continue to play with the pango, I go help Leanna collect some wood."

"I wasn't playing with him, I was merely… observing his behaviour in a social setting."

"Amelia, it's alright. You have nothing to prove to us, to me. I am well aware of your high intellect. We will respect you just the same, even if you show your other, softer sides more often. I am completely content being who I am with you guys, and I wish the same for you. But for now, this is our secret, alright?"  
I finish with a wink and pat her head before I start to walk away.  
Once I'm a bit away, I look back and notice the plushie bobbing again.

I continue to help Leanna finding kindle with a smile on my lips. When we return with the firewood, we get a fire started. Zack pulls out a simple pot and a few basic ingredients. Then he gets to work.  
Soon, the fragrance of cooked meat makes my mouth water.  
Kara wanders over to the fire.  
"That smells amazing! What is it?"

She reaches for one of the skewers, but Zack's expression makes her pause.

"It's not done yet."

She pouts, and continues to eye the food.

After some time, a very appetizing aroma fills the air.  
Zack removes the skewers from the fire and scoops porridge into bowls.  
"Alright, it's done."

He hands a bowl to each of us, then settles down as we dig in.  
I bite into the juicy meat and let the taste linger on my tongue. It's smokey and tender, a perfect barbeque!

Kara savours the bite.  
"I didn't know camp food could taste this good."

Zack shrugs.  
"It's nothing special."

"We've been doing this all wrong. No more rotating cooking duty. I vote we have Zack cook for us every night."

Zack turns his head away and lets his hair fall over his face.  
"You don't have to make a big deal out of this."

I speak up.  
"I second that vote! This is seriously among the best meals I have ever had."  
I nod sagely.  
"You are a man of many talents."

Kara looks at Zack with a soft smile on her face. I think she's impressed.

"That's weird, man."

I shrug.  
"I just give credit where credit is due."

I stare at Zack who's entirely focused on me and completely unaware of Kara.  
Okay, maybe this guy _is_ pretty dense, after all.

Kara speaks up again.  
"I wonder what other talents you're hiding."

He shrugs.

"It's okay, I'll find them all out sooner or later."

Zack doesn't respond but begins to gather the empty bowls.

"Seriously though, nobody's cooking can compare.  
…Especially not mine."

Zack pauses.  
"I enjoyed it."

Kara blinks.  
"Really?"

He offers a short nod.  
"It's nod bad."

Zack looks up and meets her gaze. Kara's grins widens and a small blush creeps into her cheeks.

Yes! It's finally happening. This is my cue to leave. Seems like he doesn't need my help after all.

I quietly slip away and sit down at the edge of the campsite.  
Leanna sits down beside me with a small smile. I feel her hesitate before she speaks.  
"So, magic training today…"

"...Yeah."

"I know today wasn't quite what you expected but after more practice you'll get it."

I know she's trying to be encouraging, and I appreciate that, but this is really the last thing I currently want to talk about. The thought of feeling that useless again fills me with dread.  
"When do you think the next practice should be?"

"Honestly? Every day."

I swallow the groan that threatens to come out, but I can't hold back my dismay.  
"Everyday?! …Yeah, makes sense, but still..."

Leanna forces a smile.  
"Casting is not easy and it really takes as much practice as possible. With us traveling to the next temple, this is the best way to get you to learn quickly.

She looks away and I see her smile drop. Leanna's clearly as excited about this as I am, but she tries hard to pretend like that's not the case.  
I can respect that and I appreciate that she's trying.  
"Alright, I won't give up after such a minor setback. I hope next time will be more productive."

Leanna tries to sound more chipper than she is.  
"Like I said, nobody can cast their first time. It's something I had to work on for weeks before I was able to even manipulate a light breeze!"

Actually, hearing that even Leanna had trouble is more comforting than I thought. She's such a talented caster now that it gives me a bit of hope.  
I smile genuinely.  
"You're right. I'm sure with practice I'll get it."

Leanna's mood lifts and she returns my smile.  
"That's the spirit."

Leanna looks up at the sky.  
"We should probably get some rest. It's another early start tomorrow."

As Leanna says that, I feel a yawn coming on.  
"That sounds like a good idea."

The others are winding down, too. Zack stays up to take the first watch.  
As Leanna heads over to her bedroll, I crawl into mine and try to ignore the hardness of the ground.  
Eventually, I fall asleep.

* * *

A/N:  
Happy new year guys! This is a quite short chapter, but as it is a full day, I saw no reason to combine it with the next.  
Feel free to tell me what you think. Or don't, your decision. I just hope you enjoyed reading.  
Until next time!


	10. Day 13: Stay in Hearthpoint

We wake up in the morning and break down the camp. Then we resume our journey.

After traveling for most of the day, we finally end up at Hearthpoint.  
This is where 'Arton Hunt' is supposedly.

Kara speaks up.  
"We'll need to find this person quickly. Andventurers aren't known for sticking around in one spot for very long."

Zack chimes in.  
"Let's not waste any time then."

Amelia nods.  
"I propose we begin our investigations at the taverns."

Kara asks.  
"'Taverns'?"

"Yes, there are two taverns in Hearthpoint. One over there…"  
She points to a building ny the entrance.  
"And another one facing northeast from the second gate."

Kara seems a little suprised by how much Amelia knows about this town.  
Well, she probably had to study the geography of Havengarde and read about all the surrounding towns and villages.  
Either that, or she's actually from here. Her tone of voice indicates a level of personal familiarity, although it is difficult to tell with Amelia.

"We don't have too much daylight left."

Zack's right. The sun sets the sky ablaze as it dips closer to the horizon

He continues.  
"Let's split up. We'll be able to cover more ground that way. If one tavern is a dead end, check the other. If he's not in either place, then we'll meet back here."

Amelia speaks again.  
"I concur with this plan. Any objections?"

No one speaks up.

"Then let us proceed."

Zack, Amelia and Kara start heading towards the nearest tavern.

Leanna calls after them.  
"Wait!"

They look back at us.

"We didn't talk about how the group is being split."

Kara smirks.  
"I think it's quite obvious."

I blush.

Leanna blinks at me as the group continues walking.  
"What does that mean?"

I swallow.  
"I think I know."

Mustering up my courage, I gently take her hand in mine.  
Leanna's eyes grow wide and she immediately slips her hand out of my grasp.  
"That's definately not it!"

I can't help the look of hurt crossing my face.  
She luckily can't see it because she looks away, her cheeks pink.  
I try to keep my voice steady.  
"What else could it be?"

Leanna's blush deepens, but she shakes her head.  
"If you have time to make ridiculous comments, then you have time to walk. Let's hurry up and get going."  
Her voice is raised, like she tries to hide her embarassment.  
Leanna quickens her pace and starts towards the tavern.

I speak softly to myself.  
"And why do you think that'd be ridiculous?"

After a moment I notice that she is even further ahead, and that I clenched my fists.  
I unclench my fist and call out.  
"Wait up!"

I jog to catch up to her. Although she ignores me, I can still see her blush and it gives me hope. I can't help my smile, maybe I haven't blown my chances just yet.

It's a brief walk through town before we reach the place.  
As we push the door open, the warm smell of bread wafts through the air, bringing with it a chrous of laughter.  
The tables are full of men and women sharing food and pints.  
This place has a cozy feel, and as we look around I feel comfortable and welcome.

Leanna speaks up, her voice calm again.  
"So Kara mentioned Artan has an eyepatch…"

She pauses as she glances at the patrons.  
"We should split up and see if we spot him."

I nod.  
"Sounds like a plan."

We seperate and begin our search. I slowly walk around the tavern, looking for anyone with an eyepatch.  
As I begin to loose hope that he's here, I spot a man sitting alone. He's scribbling furiously in a notebook, but more importantly, an eyepatch covers one eye.  
Finally, a lead!  
I hurry over to him. As I get close, I notice he's drawing a map. He stops and looks up at me.  
"What do you want?"

His tone is gruff but he doesn't seem hostile.

"Excuse me, are you Artan Hunt?"

He sizes me up.  
"What of it?"

Deciding to not want to waste his time, I try to keep it brief.  
"I heard that you've found an area of high energy."

He continues to stare at me.

"I was wondering if you could share that information."

He waves a hand dismissively.  
"It's not something to be shared."

"I can pay you for it."

He frowns.  
"You can't just _buy_ the experience of discovery! Coins are merely a construct of human greed and you need to absolve yourself of materialistic reliance to transcend."

Oh, I've trancended alright.  
"Will you at least tell me were it is?"

He glares at me.  
"I'd like to get back to my work and you're taking up my time."

He taps his pen impatiently on the table.  
"Do you mind?"

I cross my arms.  
"When you tell me what I need to know. It is imperative I get there."

He turns back to his notebook and ignores me completely. It looks like I've annoyed that guy. I doubt he'll say anything now.  
I leave the man wordlessly and search for Leanna instead.

I find her with the rest of our party and approach them.  
Zack is the first to speak.  
"Artan wasn't at the other tavern, but we heard that he's here."

I nod.  
"He is."

Everyone turns to face me.

Leanna speaks up next.  
"Did you find him?"

Supressing a blank stare and a sarcastic retort, I choose to nod instead.  
"Yeah, he's back there."

I point to the back tables.  
"But it seems like he's not the sharing type. I even offered to pay and he still refused to talk."

Leanna's face falls and Amelia and Zack seem discouraged. Only Kara remains optimistic.  
"Great! You've done the hard work for us."

Zack stares at her.  
"Did you just miss the point about how that guy won't talk even for money?"

"Finding the target is the difficult part. Getting information out of him is just a matter of being... tactful!"  
Kara winks.

Zack cracks his knuckles and grins.  
"Ah, I get you. We're finally on the same page."

Kara crosses her arms disapprovingly.  
"I didn't mean beat the information out of him!"

Zack frowns.

"You just have to give him an _appealing_ reason to loosen his lips."

Well, continued survival is quite an appealing reason.

"Are you proposing to exploit his humanistic need to procreate with an attractive mate as a guise to extract the needed information?"

"Er, if you mean flirt with him to find out what we need to know, then yes."

"What a cunning method. I approve."

We all stare at Amelia.

"You do?"  
I did not see this coming.

She nods.

That was unexpected.

"Who shall be executing this plan?"

I look to the obvious choice.  
"Are you up for the job, Kara?"

Kara grins.  
"I thought you'd never ask!"

She heads towards the target, her hips swaying alluringly.  
Leanna looks on with amazement.  
"She turned it on just like that?"

"Seems like she's not the only thing turned on."  
I shift my attention to Zack, who very obviously stares at Kara's derriere.

Leanna calls out disapprovingly.  
"Zack!"

Zack snaps back to reality and his face flushes when he notices all of us looking.  
"What? I wasn't staring."

What a blatant lie.

"No accusation was made, yet your defencive disposition is quite revealing of your intent."  
...And Amelia tells him as much.

Zack coughs and crosses his arms as he looks away.  
"You're thinking too much into this."

We watch Kara working her magic. She engages Artan and at one point even gets him to laugh. She scoots closer to him and rests a hand on his arm...  
Things seem to be going well.  
As the conversation continues, Artan suddenly shakes his head and dismisses Kara. She tries to laugh off the dismissal and re-engage him in conversation, but he looks back down at his page and continues drawing.  
Still stunned, she makes her way back to us.  
"I... I don't understand…"

Her eyes glaze over in disbelief.

"It would appear Kara was unsuccessful."  
It would appear Amelia decided to speak the obvious.

I look at Leanna.  
"Leanna?"

Leanna looks suprised.  
"M-Me?"

Kara masks a chuckle as Zack snickers. Leanna frowns and crosses her arms.  
"What's with that reaction?"

Kara smiles.  
"Oh, don't get me wrong, you're cute, but I'm not sure you've got the… personality needed for this type of thing."

Leanna frowns.  
"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"You're a bit… shy."

"I can be plenty forward!"

Kara and Zack burst out laughing.

"As if you fared any better!"

Kara's smile drops.  
"It's always worked before."

Leanna looks at Amelia.  
"You think I can do it, right?"

Amelia studies Leanna.  
"I must admit that your propriety does not lend well to the suggestion that you could entice the desired sexual tension."

Leanna crosses her arms and pouts cutely.  
"Even you, Amelia?"

Kara seems to take pity on her.  
"Aw, okay... How about you show one of us what you've got? If you're successfull, you can try."

"Fine!"

Kara points to me.  
"There's your target, what are you going to do?"

Leanna's cheecks tinge slightly as she meets my eyes. I have butterflies in my stomach…  
She takes a deep breath to gather her thoughts, then flashes me a determined look.  
She over-sways her hips as she walks over to me. The movement is too exaggerated and makes her look like she doesn't know how to walk.  
"Oh, um..."

She stammers as she tries to speak, almost as if the words elude her.  
"H-Hey there… Sailor."

I look at her blankly.

"What."

"What."

"Poi."

"Despite having an attractive figure and aesthetically pleasing figures, it is now abundantly clear why Leanna has been unable to acquire a companion."

"Amelia!"

"At this rate, the only companion she'll be acquiring is a house full of cats."

Zack nods in agreement to Kara's statement.

"You guys are so mean!"  
Leanna pouts cutely, again.

"I didn't think it was so bad."  
My opinion might be biased, but I don't care.

Leanna shakes her head.  
"You're only saying that to make me feel better."

I was just about to respond to her, but Amelia cuts in.  
"I believe we should nominate someone else?"

Leanna crosses her arms but doesn't protest.

Well, the only option left...  
"How about Amelia?"

Zack crosses his arms disapprovingly.  
"Wow."

Leanna seems outraged.  
"What's wrong with you?!"

"Wha-"

Leanna shoots me a disapproving look.  
"She's just a kid!"

Kara folds her arms and looks at me just as disapprovingly as Leanna.  
"I never thought you'd turn out to be such a creep."

Amelia blinks in suprise as I cross my arms defiantly.  
""I believe you are mistaken about my / her age."

Amelia looks at me suprised, but our words fall on deaf ears as the girls continue to give me death glares.

I snort, my annoyance with this whole ordeal reaching new levels.  
"Okay, I'll just do it myself, then."

Their disapproving looks melt to suprise as I start to walk over to Artan again.  
Zack speaks up.  
"But didn't you fail before as well?"

I stop and snap my head back as I glare at them. I'm quite sure my eyes have a slight golden glow.  
"I. Do not. Fail."

With that said I close my eyes, take a deep breath and continue my way.  
Artan looks up at my approach.  
"Oh, you again. Haven't I told you to leave me alone."

"You have, and I will once you have given me the information I need."

He grumbles.  
"I already told you no."

I shake my head.  
"This is no longer a question, I'm afraid."

He looks at me puzzled.

I lean down, my eyes turning golden as I rake his subconcious fear.  
"You _will_ tell me what I need to know. The only thing that's questionable is your state of physical and mental health afterwards."

He stands up and looms over me. He is suprisingly tall.  
"Are you threatening me?"

I hold his stare.  
"Far from it. I'm merely implying consequences to your defiance."

I lift the veil on my presence slightly, so that he can feel my power as well, but no one else.  
Closing my eyes, I exhale.  
"Look, just tell me what I need to know, and we have no reason to further bother you."

His eyes grow wide and he trembles, altough barely visible.  
"H-Here."

He hands me a parchment with a shaking hand.

I fully conceal my presence again and smile at him as my eyes turn normal again.  
"Thanks! Wasn't so hard now, was it?"

I start to walk away while he stares after me. I turn around again and wave at him, the movement concealing me erasing his memories of this encounter.  
He blinks confused, waves back and sits down again, turning back to his drawing.  
Mind tricks. I have no idea how such a technique can be considered "good" enough for the Jedi, but well.

I walk back over towards my group.  
They look at me in suprise.  
I hand Kara the parchment.  
"Here."

She opens it to up to reveal a map of the neighboring forest. There's a sinewy path drawn in to indicate where pockets of high energy readings are.  
Kara looks from me, to the map, and back to me.  
"But... How did you get this?"

I smile.  
"Let's just say that I gave him an _appealing reason_."

Leanna looks at me suspiciously.  
"What reason?"

I turn to her.  
"If you must know, well, no one defies a god."

Leanna looks shocked and Kara looks uneasy, but Zack seems more… impressed?  
Leanna speaks.  
"What have you done, Xerath? Have you told him?"

"Don't be silly. Judging by your reactions when I told you, he wouldn't believe me. I simply let him feel that I'm someone he should not oppose."

"So you intimidated him into it?"

I nod.  
"Basically, yes. Don't worry, though, he doesn't remember that."

Zack looks impressed.  
"Wow, didn't think you'd have it in you."

"I don't like that. There must've been another way."

I nod at Zack before I shrug.  
"Maybe, maybe not. I don't really care. We have what we need, and that is what matters, no?"

"It also matters how you get that. Intimitaditng someone to get what you need is wrong."

"You know what is wrong? Torture. I haven't done anything to him, okay? He resisted all friendly approaches, so I tried a different one. Not my favourite approach, but sometimes necessary."

Leanna seems unconvinced.  
"But still..."

"Look, I'm not a saint. I try to be, really hard, but I'm not. Those dark powers I have, they try to corrupt me. I fight that corruption, but sometimes it shines through. Especially when I'm in a bad mood. And right now, I'm pissed. With his dismissal of my friendly approach and your reaction when I suggested Amelia."

Everyone is silent after that.

I take a few very deep breaths to calm myself and then sigh.  
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to blow up on you."

Leanna looks at me apolegetic as well.  
"I'm sorry, too. We sometimes forget you're not from here as well, so of course you have different costums."

I glance outside at the darkened sky.  
"Well, let's just forget it and move on, then. It's getting late as well. Do you think we should stay here for the night or should we head out?"

Leanna smiles slightly.  
"We wouldn't be able to make much progress. May as well spend the night here and get a fresh start in the morning."

"Alright."

Amelia stands.  
"Now that our business has concluded, I must take my leave."

Everyone stares at her.  
Zack speaks up.  
"...Where are you going?"

"I have an obligation I must fulfill."

Kara smirks.  
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say it sounded like you're meeting someone."

Amelia ignores her teasing tone completely.  
"You are correct. It will not take long and I will be ready to rejoin you in the morning."

As Amelia turns to leave, Zack stops her.  
"Are you sure you should go alone?"  
It is a question, but his tone is more of a reminder.

Amelia raises an eyebrow.  
"Surely my parents would mean me no harm."

Leanna looks suprised.  
"Parents?"

"Yes, they would be very upset if I were to pass through without visiting them."

"You have family here and didn't tell us?"

Well, that explains her displayed familiarity with the layout of this town. I was right once again.

Amelia crosses her arms.  
"I did not see the relevance."

"Don't you want to see them?"

"To visit them is currently the obligation I am going to fulfill."

I throw in my two cents.  
"I think what Leanna means is, if you actually _want_ to see them. Your choice of words makes it sound like it is a chore, and not something you look forward to."

Amelia blinks.  
"I do not dislike spending time with them."

Kara smiles.  
"Good! Let's get to it then!"

Kara stands up and pushes Amelia towards the exit.

Amelia looks flabbergasted  
"I do not understand."

"We're going to meet your parents."

Before Amelia can protest, Kara has already led her out the door. The rest of us trail behind.  
Amelia sighs.  
"Very well."

Amelia, Zack and Kara walk ahead as Leanna and I follow. Leanna has a strange expression on her face I can't quite read.  
"What do you think her parents are like?"

"I bet they're just normal people."

"I think so too. She grew up at the university and didn't get to spend as much time at home. Most of her behaviours are probably learned from there."

It sounds like Amelia's childhood was a lot more serious than the average child. I wonder if that's why she acted so casually about her parents and made seeing them sound like a chore to knock out.

We pause in front of a modest house. There's a small garden in the front yard and a few flower pots line the stoop.  
Amelia steps up to the door and knocks.

"Don't you have a key?"

She looks back at me.  
"I do, however it is still at the Academy. I did not anticipate our travels would lead us to Hearthpoint."

The door swings open and an older woman stands in the doorway. Her face face has fine lines which reveal her age, but her smile is warm and kind. Her hair is as pink as Amelia's, so I guess I know from where she has it.  
Her eyes light up when she sees Amelia and she draws her into a tight hug.  
"Amy! What a pleasant suprise! I didn't know you'd be stopping by."

Kara grins at the use of her nickname.

Amelia doesn't react to her mother's embrace and almost seems to wait out the hug. Eventually, her mother lets go and turns back towards the house.  
"Honey, Amy's come home!"

A faint voice calls out from within the house.  
"Amy? Be right there."

Her mother turns back to Amelia and hugs her again.  
"Oh, we missed you so much!"

Suddenly, she notices the rest of us. She quickly lets Amelia go and ushers all of us inside.  
"Amy, did you bring friends? Come in, come in!"

We murmur our thanks as we shuffle into the house.  
The walls are painted with light colours giving the house a bright and cheerful air. We convene in the sitting room where we sit on the couch and chairs. The upholstery is clean but has definitely seen a lot of use.  
Amelia's father arrives. He pushes his glasses back up onto his nose and breaks into a wide smile.  
He also scoops Amelia into his arms.  
"What an unexpected pleasure!"

After he sets her down, he stands beside his wife.

"Hello Mother, Father."

Her voice is soft, but something is in her tone. Almost like she doesn't know how to express her emotions clearly.

Her father is undeterred, however.  
"You know that we love seeing you, but what are you doing out of the university? It isn't a holiday."

Her mother leans forward in her seat.  
"Oh! Was your little field study finally approved? That's wonderful! Remember what I said about how each rejection is a step further to success? I just knew you were bound to get one! Even if it took all those tries and applications."

All those tries? How many times did she apply?  
Although she doesn't speak, Amelia's cheeks turn red.

Her father comes to her rescue.  
"Honey, let's not embarass her in front of her peers."

"Oh! I'm sorry, I just got so excited. She's been trying for almost a year now!"

She turns excitedly towards Leanna.  
"You must be the field lead!"

Leanna looks bewildered.  
"Uhh…"

Amelia jumps in.  
"Yes, that is correct."

Leanna shoots Amelia a questioning glance which Amelia ignores.

Her parents beam wider as they look on their daughter with pride. Her mother has her hand over her heart and her father nods approvingly.  
"It's nice to see you're still working hard at your studies."

"We're very proud of you sweetie, but what sort of mission is this? I should think you would be the apprentice of another Mage or Mage-Caster rather than a Mage-Knight?"

"Leanna is a part of the Mage Guild."

Her father speaks again.  
"Ah! So it's an internship with the Mage Guild? That's very prestigious!"

He puffs with pride.

"I see."  
Her mother's face softens as she addresses Leanna.  
"We entrust our daughter to you. Please take good care of her."

Leanna pauses, but as she looks at the hopefulness on Amelia's parent's faces, she returns their smiles.  
"I promise I will."

Once the attention drifts away from her, I notice her gaze linger on Amelia's parents. She furrows her brows in pensive thought.

Her father speaks up again, his voice a friendly inquiry.  
"And what about the rest of you?"

Kara grins.  
"I assist with locating and exploring ancient sites."

The parents seem intrigued.  
Amelia immediately sates their curiousity.  
"We have been following instances of magical anomalies in an attempt to understand and explain their occurrences."

The father smiles.  
"Of course, of course."

His gaze lands on Zack.  
"You look more like a fighter rather than a Mage..."

Zack nods.

"What exactly is your role in this group?"

Before Zack responds, Kara steps in.  
"Oh, he's my companion. He helps me secure our sites, and well…"

She grabs his arm and flashes him a coy smile. Zack stares at kara and her hand on his arm.  
"Hands. Off."

She laughs lightly and presses herself closer to him.  
"Aw, you don't need to be shy. Just pretend it's just you and me."

Zack's scowl deepens. As he twists away from her, a blush tinges his cheeks.

Amelia's father chuckles.  
"Say no more! I remember what it was like to be young."

Zack's blush deepens. Kara watches his discomfort with amusement.

Finally, his gaze lands on me.  
"And what about you?"

"Well, I'm a sorcerer from a distant land and got lost on my travels. I literally stumbled upon Leanna and now find myself her student, helping with trying to dicover more about the anomalies."

"A sorcerer? You certainly don't look the part."

I sigh.  
"Yeah, I get that a lot. Part of my apprenticeship with Leanna was to switch to different clothes, to remind myself not to rely on old powers and learn new ones instead."

That's technically not a lie. Her parents nod.  
Her mother speaks up again.  
"Amy, will you and your friends stay for dinner?"

"We would not wish to impose on you any further. We can return to the inn-"

Her father interrupts.  
"The inn? Oh nonsense. You can all stay the night here! We certainly have enough room.

"Yes, we insist! I'll get started on dinner and afterwards you can all relax. Come with me, Amy."

Amelia nods.  
"If that is what you wish."  
Amelia obliges as they start towards the kitchen.

"That's wonderful! It's so nice to have you home. And we never get to meet any of your friends."  
She turns back to us.  
"In fact, you all are the first ones she's brought home!"

"Really?"  
Kara glances sideways at Amelia who remains stoic.

"I hope she's not giving you any trouble. She's always been a bit hot-blooded!"

This time we all look at Amelia. Thinking back at the time at the carnival, I think I'm the only one of us who can confirm that.  
Kara speaks up.  
"Are you sure we're talking about the same person?"

She laughs and the two of them walk into the kitchen.

We continue to chat as we wait for dinner to be ready. Her father is enthusiastic and shares fun facts about the town. He's a tailor and offers to patch up any clothes for us.  
Dinner is a simple but delicious meal and we all clean our plates. Amelia's mother seems pleased.  
"Would anyone care for seconds?"

Both Leanna and Zack take a second helping. Leanna piles her plate up with food until it's even fuller than Zack's plate.  
As she digs in, Kara watches enviously.  
"Where does it all go?"

"Hm?"  
She looks at Kara questioningly.

"You have such a healthy appetite yet you're still so slim!"

This has the potential to go horribly wrong…  
Contrary to my fears, Leanna smiles coyly.  
"Oh, you think so? I'm just lucky I guess!"

Amelia chimes in.  
"Rather than luck, I would attribute it to the constant wind resistance you emit during your travels and activities."

Leanna looks suprised and nervous.  
"What…?"

Amelia raises an eyebrow.  
"I can detect a constant energy utilization from your manipulator which is creating wind fraction-"

Leanna interrupts with loud laughter but her face is bright red.  
"Haha, you're thinking way too much into this Amelia! It's probably just... um... magic residue you're detecting."

Amelia gives Leanna an unimpressed look, as if to say that was the silliest excuse she's heard.

I speak up.  
"That's genius! I hadn't even considered using magic like that."

"I don't believe this is a common application of energy utilization."

Kara smiles.  
"So that's your 'secret'."

Leanna nervously picks at her food.  
"Anyway… This is really really good. What is it?"

With the change in subject, the mood relaxes and the conversation naturall flows.  
Zack and Amelia's father found a common interest. Although he's a tailor, he takes a special interest in restoring weapons.  
Zack speaks.  
"Actually, weapons are a specialty of mine too."

"Your dischargers! I did notice that. They're a bit unusual, aren't they? I haven't seen too many with those types of crystals."

Zack nods.  
"It serves me well."

Amelia's father pauses as he observes Zack.  
"Come on, son, lighten up a bit! No need to be so formal here. Why don't you try to crack a smile? You don't need to look so doom and gloom all the time."

Zack merely stares at him until Kara elbows him.  
"Aw, come on, _companion_ , you don't want to be rude, do you? Especially after you've already helped yourself to this delicious meal… twice."

Zack sighs in resignation.  
He pauses and seems to collect himself. Kara watches, amused at his display.  
After a few long breathes, he looks up with determination.  
Reluctantly, he curls up the corners of his lips and exposes his teeth in an awkward grimance-smile hybrid.  
His eyes almost seem to be calling for help, as if holding this smile is causing him pain.  
Everyone recoils from this look…

…Except for Kara, who blushes.  
"Oh wow, that's really hot."

We all exchange confused glances as Zack drops his 'smile'.  
Kara leans over to him and lowers her voice.  
"I hope we get to see that again… soon."

We all look at each other in confusion.  
Amelia's father, Arthur as he introduced himself earlier, is the first to speak up.  
"Well then, that was certainly… interesting!"

The group laughs and the conversations flows again.  
Kara enjoyed every minute of the night, chatting amicably with Amelia's mother.  
Leanna stayed quiet and spent most of her time just observing. Although she had a smile on her face, it seemed like there was something else on her mind.  
Amelia didn't talk much, preferring to let her parents do the talking, but she seemed very comfortable and relaxed. I can tell that even though they don't get to see each other very often, they have a good relationship.  
Once dinner was over, Amelia's parents insisted on washing up and ask Amelia to show us to our rooms.  
She leads us to the back of the house where there are two rooms and stops in front of the first door.  
"This is my childhood room. We three will share this room."

She points to the door down the hall.  
"That is the spare room. You two may stay there."

Leanna speaks up.  
"Are you certain it's alright for us to stay tonight? I don't want to cause any trouble for your parents. They've already been so accommodating."

"My parents are quite happy to recieve guests. It would be an insult to refuse their invitation."

"Okay..."

Leanna seems uncertain, but Kara throws her arm around her affectionately.  
"Don't worry! Tonight will be super fun. We'll braid each others hair, play truth or dare, and of course... pillow fights!"

Amelia cocks her head to the side.  
"Is that what roommates do?"

Kara nods excitedly.  
"Definitly!"

Amelia looks at Leanna, who seems equally confused.

"While we roomed together previously, we did not accomplish any of these tasks."

Leanna chimes in as well.  
"I'm just learning about this now too."

"Trust me, you'll love what I have planned!"  
Kara laughes and pushes the girls into the room.

She winks at us.  
"Girls only."

Then she closes the door firmly behind her.

I raise my voice slightly to be heard through the door.  
"Good night to you, too!"

"Oh, right, night you two!"

"Sorry, good night."

"Goodnight."

The three muffled voices call out. I think I can forgive them.  
I turn to Zack.  
"Why do I always get the feeling that we're missing out?"

"Because we probably are."

A shriek of laughter filters through the doorway followed by giggles.

"Oh my god, don't squirm so much!"  
Kara.

"Stop! I'm really ticklish there!"  
Leanna.

"I got it off!"

"Hey! Give it ba-hahaha!"

We overhear even more squeals and giggles.  
My mind wanders as my imagination paints a very alluring picture of what is going on behind that door.  
Zack's stoic stare seems too intense.

"Stooooop!"

"No way!"

"Well, if that's how you wanna play..."

We hear a gust of wind behind the door.

"Wha! No fair, you're using magic-Aiieeee!"

After Kara yelps, Zack's stony expression finally cracks.  
"What is… going… on in there…"

I close my eyes and try to get my mind out of the gutter. My wandering imagination suprises me, as I never really had thoughts like that. Not since I was a teenager, back with…  
Well, I'm glad they get along so swimmingly.

"Poi…"

I glance down at my feet and see the pango staring forlornly at the door.  
"You wish you were in there too?"

He hops closer to the door.  
"Poi poi!"

When no one lets him in he lowers his head.  
"Poi…"

"I'm sorry buddy, but it's girls only tonight."

As if on cue, the door cracks open.  
Amelia's pigtails peek out as she reaches for the pango.  
"There you are. You are needed for… science!"

"Poi poi!"  
Is it just me, or did that little blob just sound incredibly smug?

The last thing I see is the pango's wide grin as the door slams shut behind him.  
Zack sighs.  
"Let's just go."

Zack heads into the room and I follow.  
We mill about the room awkwardly, and I swear I can hear the seconds tick by. This feels a lot less exciting than the other room.  
Zack is already getting ready for bed, and I'm somewhat tired and exhausted myself. So I start to get ready too.  
As I crawl into bed, I count the seconds to calm my swirling mind and I fall asleep eventually.

The ending of a strange dream jolts me awake and I sit up in bed. The moon is high in the sky, casting silver light through the window.  
Zack remains fast asleep. I don't see anything else, so I lay back down and close my eyes, trying to go back to sleep.  
Instead, I toss and turn in bed as uneasy thoughts creep in. I try to lock them away again, but as soon as I loose concentration, they come back again in full force.  
Amelia's parents were incredibly kind, and it's obvious just how much they adore, love and cherish their daughter.  
I wonder if my parents were similar, when they were alive.  
How were they?  
How would they have treated me?  
How would I have grown up with them?  
...Who would I be today?  
As that last thought crosses my mind, I throw off my blankets in frustration. I need some fresh, and maybe a chat with the only one I can really call family.

Tip toeing past a sleeping Zack, I creep out of the room and make my way through the dark living room. Seeing through the Force sure has its perks.  
I spot the balcony and step out onto it.  
Taking a deep breath of the pleasantly cool air, I try to focus on the presence inside me I haven't seen for so long.  
Seconds pass, then minutes.  
…Please…

Finally, a spectral figure materializes beside me.  
"Ahh, son of my sons, You have called for me."

"Indeed I have. It is nice to see you again, Aloysius."

"It is, Xerath. It's been too long."

"That it has been."

"...This was quite the experience, I must admit. Parallel dimensions, I assume?"

I raise an eyebrow.  
"What experience do you mean?"

"You remember our contract, right? Using your body and power as a anchor for my presence, I can linger in the mortal realm. And when you were… transported here, I felt our connection grow distant, but not broken. However, I could not return to you. Until now."

"Hmm, that explains the missing sensation I felt during all this time here."

My ancestors voice grows soft, kind. Unusual for a Sith. I guess that runs in the family.  
"Your mental defences have increased severalfold, but they are currently crumbled. What is troubling you, son of my sons?"

"It's nothing..."  
Knowing I'm not convincing, I continue.  
"It's just, today I got a glimpse into what a happy and intact family is like. How it must feel to have loving parents."  
I sigh.  
"So I guess I just wanted to talk to my family for a bit, or what I have of that, that is."

"I-I'm quite shocked you hold me in such high regards. In a positive way, I assure you."

"Why wouldn't I? You're the only one who stood with me when I had nothing, when everyone seemed to be against me or betray me. You helped me and stayed by my side through it all. Watched over me."

"I had no idea that impacted you so deeply. I must admit that I did so not only on your behalf."

I chuckle.  
"I'm aware, and I understand. You didn't want to have our name forgotten, so you helped me reforge it. But you have no idea how reassuring it was to have a Force Ghost watching over me. You may not have noticed, but you are the closest thing I ever had to a father, and I always viewed you as such. I... You're very dear to me."

I cannot see his smile, as he wears his mask even in death, but I can _feel_ his smile.  
"...Likewise."

Aloysius Kallig's spectral body moves closer to me, and most suprisingly, hugs me.  
After the initial suprise wears off, I hug back. For a ghost he's suprisingly solid.

A moment later he pulls back.  
"It seems my presence has not gone unnoticed."

"Yeah, I feel her coming, too. Would you mind to stay? I'd like to introduce you."

Lord Kallig simply nods.

Leanna steps over to me, Aloysius obscured by the door. She looks somewhat sleepy.  
"Xerath, is that you? I thought I heard voices, so I came looking."

"Yeah, it's me. I'm sorry, did we wake you?"

She shakes her head.  
"Mm, it's alright, I had trouble sleeping anyway. Wait a moment, we?"

She steps forward as I speak up.  
"Yes, we. Remember when I told you about the ghost of my ancestor? Well, I'd like you to meet Aloysius Kallig, Dark Lord of the Sith. Aloysius, this is Leanna Dawn."

She looks at his blue spectral body, frozen in shock.

Lord Kallig bowes respectfully.  
"Good night Miss Dawn. I hope my appearance is not too off putting for you."

That seems to have woken her out of the stupor.  
"Oh! Oh, no… not at all. You are way nicer than I imagined ghosts. And more human, too."

"I can keep my form thanks to the son of my sons. His power keeps me anchored."

"Ah, I-I see."  
Although she appears composed, she is still as pale as a sheet.

Aloysius noticed this too.  
"Well, my business with my descendant is finished for now. I do not want to impose any further. It was nice to meet you, Miss Dawn, and please take good care of Xerath."

Too stunned to do anything else, she responds automatically.  
"Y-yes, of course."

Seemingly satisfied with that answer, he turns and walks towards the edge of the balcony before vanishing.

Leanna takes a few moments to collect herself. After I give her a few moments, she speaks up.  
"Wow. You were right."

I raise an eyebrow.  
"Right with what?"

"That ghosts aren't so scary. He was actually quite polite and nice."

I smile.  
"Well, I'm certainly relieved you see it that way as well."

She returns it.  
"I think I wouldn't mind meeting him again, sometime."

"I'm sure that could be arranged."

"That'd be grand. But what did you two talk about, if I may ask?"

My smile drops and I turn to look at the stars.  
"You remember when I told you about how I didn't have a family growing up, and how I was over it?"

She sounds cautious.  
"Yes?"

"Well, meeting Amelia's parents and seeing their love for their daughter made something clear to me."

Her voice is gentle as she slowly walks over to me.  
"What is it?"

I turn my face back to her. Tears are threatening to spill out and my voice is short of cracking. I shake my head.  
"I'm not over it."

"!"  
Alarmed, Leanna rushes the rest of the distance between us and holds me in a comforting embrace.

I return the hug, holding her like my life depends on it.  
"I'm sorry..."

"Don't be. You have nothing to be sorry for. It's not good to bottle up your emotions, so it's okay to let them all out."

"...Thank you."  
That was all that was needed to break the dam. I quietly sob into her shoulder and let everything out.

We stay like this for a while, me silently crying into her shoulder while she runs her hand over my back and through my hair in soothing circles.

At one point, I'm finally done.  
With a final sniff, I disengage from her.  
"Thank you, Leanna."

She smiles slightly.  
"You're welcome. Are you better now?"

"Yes, I'm fine now. You have no idea just how much that helped. All my life I had to soldier on. If I ever showed a sign of weakness, I'm sure I would have died. No one ever has seen me so... vulnerable before."

"You have never cried before, not even as a child?"

I shake my head.  
"Not when someone else could've heard or seen me. I hope I can count on your confidentiality."

She takes my hand and squeezes it.  
"Of course."

While wiping my eyes of the last wetness, I remember something.  
"Leanna, didn't you say you couldn't sleep?"

She nods, albeit suprised.

"It did sound like you girls were having a lot of fun."

Leanna blushes.  
"Kara got my boot off so I was only returning the favour."

We smile as the conversation lapses.  
She looks towards the stars, staring pensively at them. There must be something on her mind.  
"Want to talk about it?"

"Hm?"

"It seems like there is something on your mind."

Leanna faces me and absentmindedly picks at her clothes.  
"It's nothing really. Tonight has been really fun and Amelia's parents have been so nice. It just started to remind me of my famaly… and then I got to thinking…"

"And you couldn't stop thinking?"  
Voiced like a question, but it is more of a statement. Sounds like what happened to me as well.

Leanna nods.  
"Kinda like you, I suppose."

She doesn't say any more.  
I look up at the myriad of sparkling light in the deep night sky. The stars are still beautiful, but not as clear as when we were camping.  
We fall into a comfortable silence. Leanna intently stares at the sky as if searching for answers. I wonder what's on her mind.  
Suddenly, she turns to me.  
"I promise we'll help you find a way home."

I'm suprised at the conviction in her voice.  
"Oh, thanks. I know you will, you've already done so, in fact. Actually, there's something I've been wondering."

"What is it?"

"I don't mean to sound ungrateful, as that would be far from it, but why are you doing so much to help a stranger?"

Leanna stares incomprehensibly.  
"You were someone who needed help."

"Yeah, but you didn't know who I was. What if I had other intentions?"

She crosses her arms under her ample chest.  
"Then I suppose things would have turned out differently."

She notices my look and chuckles.  
"I would never leave someone who needed help, especially if it was in my power to help them. I'm sure if it were me in that situation, you'd have done the same."

I nod.  
"You're right. I'm not one to walk away from somone in need of help. Heh, that's one of the reasons I always tried to become more powerful."

Leanna smiles.

Still, I wonder why she suddenly promised to help me find a way back home.  
"What brought that on?"

"Sorry, I've been thinking about home and how it would feel if I looked at the stars and couldn't recognize a single one…"

I can understand how being with Amelia's family can make her homesick. That's quite what's going through my head as well…  
Maybe I can take her mind off of it for a while, preferably both our minds.  
"What's that star?"

"Huh?"

She blinks as she takes in my question, then looks back up towards the sky.  
"Which one?"

I randomly point at a cluster of stars.

"Which one?"

I point again.  
"Those."

Leanna squints, then laughs.  
"Nothing! They're just random stars."

"Ah, the ones I'm most familiar with. Well, thanks to you, now I can look at the sky and at least recognise one star."

"But those are just random stars!"

"Yup, that's what they all look like to me anyway, as I live among them, more or less. So I can look up and see random stars and feel right at home."

Leanna grins.  
She points to a cluster of stars that vaguely looks like a woman.  
"Do you see those stars?"

"Yeah."

"That's my birth sign, Elwina. She was renowned for her beauty and that beauty was immoralized in the stars."

"Birth sign?"

"Yeah, there's a belief that the star sign under which you're born can tell certain traits about yourself. Sometimes people use it to predict matches or fortunes."

"Uhh, sounds interesting. So what does your birth sign says about you?"

"What do you think?"

"She was a woman renowned for her beauty, huh?"

I look at Leanna again and how the silver moonlight surrounds her like a halo. She almost glows as brightly as the stars.  
"That looks accurate to me."

Leanna at first looks suprised, then a gentle blush tinges her cheeks.  
"I meant personality traits."

"Oh, in that case, it probably means that you're kind and patient and see the good in others."

She seems genuinly suprised by my answer.  
"You think so?"

"Definitely."

She smiles, and this time it looks more natural.  
"Hopefully this place doesn't feel so lonely and foreign to you anymore."

"Honestly, my time in this peaceful world has almost been like a vacation to me, and coupled with meeting you, it was like a paradise… and meeting the rest of the team, of course."

We lock gazes and I feel drawn to her, even more so than usual.

Leanna lights up as she sees something behind me.  
"Look, a shooting star!"

The star rockets across the sky, leaving a trail of glitter. Reminds me of Ilum.

She closes her eyes. After a moment, she reopens them.  
"What did you wish for?"

I look at her quizzical.  
"Wish?"

I then remember that in some cultures it is common to make a wish when you spot a shooting star. I've heard it's common in the Republic. I think of one of my wishes quickly...  
And smile charmingly.  
"I wished that we could spend more time together."

She's suprised.  
"You didn't wish to go home?"

"I know that eventually you'll help me find a way back home. But in the meantime, it's really not so bad being stuck on a new planet with someone like you."

She blushes.

"So what did you wish for?"

"Oh, I wished to continue going on adventures."

I grin.  
"That's fine with me... as long as I don't have to watch you attempt to flirt again."

Leanna's face flushes.  
"That's not fair! I was put on the spot!"

I laugh.  
"Isn't that how all flirting works?"

Leanna pouts cutely.  
"No, it would've been a lot different if I were more prepared."

"Oh yeah? How would you have done it then?"

"That's still putting me on the spot, but..."

She blushes again.  
"Well..."

She lowers her eyes to compose herself, then flashes me a confident look.  
"Let's see. First, I'd begin by telling him how handsome he looks tonight. Maybe then I'd compliment his muscles, which would give me an excuse to touch them."

Her hands lightly rubs my arm as she gives me a look of appreciation.  
Although her cheeks are still burning, this is nothing like the awkward Leanna from before!

"I'd step closer to him…"

My heart quickens as she closes the distance.

"Then I'd have him hold me like this…"

She guides my hands with hers and places them on her hips.  
I resist letting my hands wander.  
She snakes her arms around my neck.  
"And then…"

I can feel her breath on my lips.

"I…"

She leans in until her full lips are only an inch away from my own.  
"...say…"

I close my eyes as I feel her lean into me.  
Her breath teases me as she stays just out of reach.  
"...goodnight."

"Wait, what?"  
I open my eyes just as Leanna disengages from me.

All I can do is stare at her as the blood rushes back to my brain. I can't fully comprehend what just happened.  
"...What?!"

She looks back at me and grins.  
"It's getting late. Goodnight! I'll see you in the morning!"

"Goodnight…"

She disappears from view and I'm left in a desperate need of a cold refresher, wondering what the hell just happened.

I return to my room and crawl back into bed.  
My mind is filled with even more thoughts and questions than before. But this time, they are centered around this blond angel.  
Eventually, after many thoughts of cold refreshers, I drift to seep.

* * *

A/n: I hope you guys like this chapter. I'm quite happy with how it turned out. Feel free to leave a review if you want to.  
Also, it will probably take a while before I can give you guys the next chapter, because life comes back in full force, and after a long illness I have much for school and work to catch up with. I can give no estimations, but I try to write more when I have some time.  
Until next time, then. Cheers!


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